The $30 million includes incentives for staff retention and referral, time-and-a-half plus meals and mileage for health-care workers who travel to fill shifts, and renovations to staff accommodations.
North Island mayors say a $30-million plan to address physician and nursing shortages and ER closures in their communities is a “huge” win.
“We know that rural northern Vancouver Island is not the only area that is having trouble getting health professionals — it’s across B.C., across Canada. So whatever we can do to attract people, it’s huge.” The emergency departments at Port Hardy Hospital and Cormorant Island Health Centre in Alert Bay will remain closed overnight until more resources and staff are acquired, while the one in Port McNeill, about 40 kilometres from Port Hardy, will be open 24 hours a day.
“We are just blessed that finally this squeaky wheel appears to be getting the grease, and while it’s not ideal to have [continued] closures in the evening for Port Hardy and for Alert Bay, there’s some certainty, at least.” “It’s definitely been difficult,” he said. Still, he is pragmatic and supports the government’s plan.
Having only been on the job three months since the October municipal elections, Furney said he won’t take credit for the work of past councils and mayors former mayor Gaby Wickstrom was was a strong advocate for Port McNeill health care.
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