Government says it spent far less on “travel” nurses than the figure being kicked around.

Travel nurses are hired where options within the system do not exist. The amount being bandied about—$100 million for the past year—is inaccurate according to the provincial government.

Figures from each of the four provincial health authorities total $32.6 million with the breakdown as follows:

$5.2 million in Eastern Health
$16.2 million in Central Health
$7.7 million in Western Health
$3.5 million in Labrador-Grenfell Health

Government says it looks like the $100 million refers to the maximum dollar figure of total agency contracts in health which could have been allocated, but the real dollar figure is $32.6 million.

The authorities have been criticized by some in the sector who see the measure as a slippery slope.