A critical shortage of physicians in some areas of the province requires an appropriate human resources plan to determine who’s needed, and where.

That’s according to Medical Association President Dr. Steve Major who just completed a tour of the province to speak with members.

As an example, Major says there’s a critical shortage of internal medicine specialists in some parts of the province.

That highlights the need for a human health resource plan that “actually decides what providers we need in each jurisdiction.”

Major says that’s something the NLMA has been advocating for for more than a decade.

“And I think if we had that plan, with some transparency, then there would be accountability,” says Major. “In those communities they can go to government and say, ‘we should have this number of physicians, we should have this number of social workers, physiotherapists…and how are we going to make that happen?'”