The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing a $75,000 Family Care Team Recruitment Incentive to salaried physicians working with NL Health Services who join a family care team for at least one year.
The Honourable John Hogan, Minister of Health and Community Services, will be available to media today (Thursday, September 5) at 1:00 p.m. at West Block, Confederation Building, to discuss this incentive. Minister Hogan will be joined by Dr. Gena Bugden, Vice-President of Medical Services, NL Health Services.
The incentive is available for physicians employed by NL Health Services who join a family care team before the end of this year and is available retroactively for all current family care team physicians. This incentive is in addition to other incentives, such as the Physician Signing Bonus, which range from $100,000 to $150,000 for the five-year return-in-service.
Physicians not eligible for the Physician Signing Bonus or unable to sign a five-year return-in-service agreement are able to obtain this incentive for a one-year return-in-service.
Family care teams ensure patients receive the right care from the right provider at the right time. Patients can be seen by family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals.
This new incentive complements other competitive recruitment incentives that have successfully resulted in over 120 physicians and more than 660 nurses recruited since April 2023.
Budget 2024 includes $10 million to recruit and retain health care professionals and $30 million to hire additional health care providers for existing and new family care teams.
Health care professionals interested in learning about the opportunities and incentives to work in Newfoundland and Labrador can find more information at WorkInHealthNL.ca. More details on family care teams is available by visiting healthcareaction.ca.
Quotes
“Family care teams are key to ensuring the health and well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. As our government continues to expand the teams across the province, the new Family Care Team Recruitment Incentive provides another tool to recruit and retain the family physicians required to fully operationalize these teams.”
Honourable John Hogan, KC
Minister of Health and Community Services
“Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services welcomes this incentive from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to help strengthen our efforts to recruit physicians for family care teams. We are committed to implementing family care teams across the province to improve access and continuity of primary health care for individuals and families in their community. We are thankful for the high quality team-based care being provided by our current physicians and other health care professionals in the family care teams and look forward to welcoming more physicians to the teams in the near future.”
Dr. Gena Bugden, Vice-President, Medical Services
NL Health Services
-30-
Learn more
Follow us on X @GovNL and @HCS_GovNL
Like us on Facebook
BACKGROUNDER
Family care teams consist of health care professionals, such as family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals. Patients receive care from the most appropriate health care provider on the team. There are currently 23 teams in various stages of implementation:
- Baie Verte and Springdale region
- Bonavista
- Burin Peninsula
- Clarenville
- Coast of Bays
- Conception Bay North
- Deer Lake-White Bay
- Gander
- Grand Falls-Windsor
- Happy Valley-Goose Bay
- Kittiwake (Brookfield area)
- Labrador West
- Lewisporte
- Northern Peninsula
- Port aux Basques
- Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s
- St. John’s East
- St. John’s Centre
- St. John’s (Downtown)
- St. John’s (Metro Centre)
- St. John’s West
- Southern Avalon
- Stephenville-Bay St. George