Several short-term initiatives were announced today for certain frontline health care workers, targeting areas of the workforce that face significant recruitment challenges. These incentives will benefit a certain number of Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE) health care professionals, in an effort to recruit new employees and retain current workers. The Provincial Government, in collaboration with the leadership of NAPE, has implemented three short-term measures to help stabilize the health care workforce in the province and minimize service delivery interruptions.
The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, along with the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services and Jerry Earle, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees, will be available to the media today (Monday, October 17) at 3:30 p.m. to discuss these measures. The availability will take place in the Media Centre, Ground Floor of East Block, Confederation Building, and will be livestreamed on Facebook.
The initiatives developed to address the immediate NAPE workforce challenges are:
- Retention Bonuses– A retention bonus is available to identified NAPE members, targeted to areas where there is an identified retention and recruitment challenge, for a return-in-service commitment;
- Reimbursement of Licensing Fees for Applicable Retired Health Care Providers– Licensing fees will be paid for those who wish to return to work; and,
- Double Rate Overtime – This measure is available to identified NAPE members, targeted to areas where there is an identified retention and recruitment challenge, and is available until January 31, 2023. It will reduce delays in filling schedules and also should reduce the number of mandated and extended shifts.
The Regional Health Authorities will be reaching out to eligible employees in the next week with further details.
Recruitment and retention continues to be a challenge across all health care professions locally, nationally and internationally. As a result, the Provincial Government continues to work with health care professionals, and has implemented a number of creative measures over the past while to help curb the workforce challenges and encourage recruitment. More information on these measures is available here.
This recruitment and retention package follows other initiatives announced in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association and the Registered Nurses’ Union of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Quotes
“Working collaboratively with Mr. Earle and NAPE, I am confident these measures will have a meaningful impact on the work environment of their union members. I also want to take this opportunity to thank our health care professionals once again for their service and unwavering commitment to the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. We know the challenges that a workforce shortage creates for our dedicated professionals who continue to carry the load, but we remain committed to finding solutions through recruitment and retention efforts like the ones we’ve announced today.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“We continue to try to find creative avenues to address the significant recruitment and retention hurdles we are currently facing in health care, and today’s announcement is another great example. These short-term measures will help alleviate some of the obstacles faced by a number of NAPE health care workers, as we continue to find longer-term solutions. I want to thank Mr. Earle for working with us to develop strategies that will be of value to his members.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“It takes a broad range of healthcare workers with a diverse set of education, training, and skills to make our healthcare system work. These workers are under tremendous strain right now. Retention of our highly skilled, experienced, and dedicated healthcare workforce is integral to stabilizing our healthcare system. The initiatives announced today will provide incentives to keep healthcare workers here in positions that are experiencing retention issues and we will continue to work collaboratively with this government to improve health outcomes for the people of our province.”
Jerry Earle
President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE)
-30-
Learn more
Follow us on Twitter @GovNL and @HCS_GovNL
Like us on Facebook
Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
MeghanMcCabe@gov.nl.ca
Laura Thomas
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 727-0341
laurathomas@gov.nl.ca
Keith Dunne
Campaigns and Communications Coordinator
Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees
709-631-9737
kdunne@nape.ca