Premier Tim Houston says his government is making incredible progress in healthcare.
He told reporters Wednesday, this spring there have been nearly 1 million new primary care appointments through pharmacy clinics, urgent treatment centres and mobile clinics.
“Just in the month of April alone, there were 74,000 new primary care appointment opportunities that just didn’t exist before our government.”
To include virtual care clinics, that would be another 10,000-15,000 appointments alone.
Nova Scotia has implemented a number of strategies to try to recruit doctors to the province.
This includes things like the Atlantic Physician Registry and Patient Access to Care Act, which makes it quicker and easier for healthcare providers to work here from other parts of Canada.
Houston says the needle is moving in the right direction with a significant increase in the number of doctors practicing in the province, since they formed government.
Opposition says it’s not enough
The NDP say virtual care such as Maple, may have its place, but they are not a replacement for a family doctor.
The New Democrats say 16 per cent of the population are on the Need a Family Practice Registry and call on the Houston government to expand collaborative care.
This would make sure patients are attached to a clinic where they can access health care from a doctor, nurse practitioner or other primary care providers.
Leader Claudia Chender says a primary care team knows the patient and their medical history.
“Tim Houston claimed he would fix health care during the last election. Almost three years later, not enough progress in the right direction has been made.”
The NDP adds that according to the Action For Health Progress Dashboard, only ten new family doctors moved to the province last year.
As of May 1, there are 158, 375 people on the doctor waitlist, about 10,000 more than last year.
