Opposition Immigration critic Lloyd Parrott sought answers in the House of Assembly yesterday on efforts to recruit for medical specialists in the health care sector.

Parrott, who is the MHA for Terra Nova, says in the last week there were no internists available in the entire Eastern Rural Zone, which includes the hospital in Clarenville.

Parrott says that forced numerous diversions, including some 30 patients who had to be transferred to the Health Sciences from rural areas.

Former Health Minister John Hogan has stepped down from the portfolio pending an anticipated run at the provincial leadership, so his predecessor, John Haggie, answered the question.

Haggie says they are working with the NLMA on a compensation package to attract physicians and specialists to rural areas. He added that Hogan has just returned from a recruitment tour of Europe aimed at bringing Canadians training abroad back to Newfoundland and Labrador.