The Auditor General would like to see government monitor incentive programs for health professionals, particularly doctors and nurses.

For the 18-month period between April 2023 to October 2024, NL Health Services spent $34.8-million on bonuses to 705 doctors—about $50,000 per person. In the same 18-month period, $11.5-million in signing bonuses were paid out to 668 nurses, roughly $17,000 each.

AG Denise Hanrahan says overall, it appears the physician and nurse incentive programs may be having some degree of impact, but she’s concerned with the level of monitoring.

For example, the only report that has been submitted to the Treasury Board has been information related to the long-term care recruitment and retention bonuses.

“We would like to see detailed analysis being made so that they can inform future decisions on whether to keep a type of bonus, whether it needs to be changed, if there are other considerations…just to help the program become more and more effective,” says the Auditor General.