The NDP has released its plan to address recruitment and retention in the healthcare system.

The plan is called NL Cares, and will cost $25.6-million per year by 2029/2030, according to the party.

Highlights of the plan include the hiring of 1,000 new healthcare workers, a province-wide expansion of the travel nurse locum program, the creation of 20 new seats at the MUN medical school, and the creation of a single Office for Medical Professional Recruitment.

Under retention, some of the initiatives include setting up an independent Health Sector Safety Council, giving workers more ability to self-schedule where appropriate, reviewing the current Job Evaluation system, and working with frontline staff and stakeholders to create safe hours legislation.

On that last point, Dinn says there are many industries that have mandatory rest periods, but in healthcare, workers are mandated overtime even when they are exhausted.

Dinn says they will mandate what is safe so that people are not being driven from such professions.