Improving Access to Healthcare
Project Funding to Attract, Retain Healthcare Workers in Truro
Relocation guides, welcome kits and organized site visits are a few of the projects that the Truro community will launch this year to attract healthcare workers.
The Truro and Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity will receive $75,000 from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment (OHPR) Community Fund to deliver recognition events, a social media promotional and recruitment campaign, a new promotional video of the Colchester East Hants Health Centre, and an introduction to skiing programs at Ski Wentworth.
More information on this announcement can be found in the news release here.
Innovative Project Builds Up Transitional Care Centre
An innovative healthcare project will build up the transitional care centre in West Bedford and bring much-needed beds into the healthcare system faster.
The Province and Shannex will partner to expand and enhance the transitional care centre at 21 Hogan Court in West Bedford. Shannex will purchase the facility and lands for $46 million, take over renovations of the existing building and build a 110-room addition, for a total of 178 rooms. Shannex will own the building once renovations are complete.
Shannex will begin building the addition while renovations are ongoing, with the additional rooms opening in two years, much sooner than the proposed transitional care facility in Bayers Lake. That site will no longer be used as a transitional care centre and will instead be set aside for other healthcare needs.
More information on this announcement can be found here.
Physician Incentive Programs Expanded
The government is expanding its physician incentive programs to encourage more doctors to choose to practice in Nova Scotia.
Qualifying physicians who want to establish a practice outside the Central Zone remain eligible for up to $125,000 in incentives over five years, recognizing the recruitment challenges in these areas. The Eastern Shore-Musquodoboit and West Hants networks in Central Zone remain eligible locations for this incentive.
Other efforts to recruit, retain and train more physicians include:
passing the Patient Access to Care Act, making it faster and easier for healthcare providers to come to Nova Scotia
working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia to streamline licensing for doctors from recognized jurisdictions
attending more than 90 conferences and recruitment events in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom
participating in the Atlantic Physician Registry, which allows doctors in Atlantic Canada to work more freely across the region
providing $2 million in grants to support community-led initiatives to help recruit, welcome and retain healthcare professionals through the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Community Fund
establishing a new medical school campus at Cape Breton University, adding more medical school seats, increasing the number of residency spaces and supporting a new physician assistant master’s program at Dalhousie University
Local Healthcare Access Points
Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinic
This pharmacist-led clinic provides an extended suite of pharmacy primary care services at no charge to people with a valid Nova Scotia Health Card.
These services include assessment and prescribing for:
Strep Throat
Pink Eye
UTIs
Chronic Disease Management (Diabetes, Asthma, COPD)
Prescription renewals for all medications and more
Publicly funded vaccines for adults and children are also available at these clinics as well as medical injections (fee may apply).
Our local Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinic is operated through:
The Medicine Shoppe at 1B-664 Prince Street, Truro. They can be reached at 902-814-2679.
Lawtons Pharmacist Plus Clinic
The Pharmacist Plus Clinics are another way we're improving access to healthcare for all Nova Scotians.
The Truro Lawtons Pharmacist Plus Clinic is a walk-in clinic that has a nurse practitioner and pharmacists working as a team to provide a variety of health care services, from primary care to chronic disease prevention and management.
Services include:
Diagnosing and treating routine and more immediate health concerns
Prescribing medications and prescriptions renewals
Medication management or modifications
Chronic disease management
Health screening and preventative care
Ordering and interpreting tests
Vaccinations and injections
Making referrals to specialists and other health care providers
The Pharmacist Walk-In Clinic+ is located at:
Lawtons, 316 Willow Street, Suite 20, Truro.
They can be reached at 902-896-0987. Hours of Operation are:
Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Happening Across Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Guard
A new department will pave the way for the establishment of a new volunteer corps called the Nova Scotia Guard.
Premier Tim Houston introduced legislation on March 28 that will lead, direct and support a co-ordinated response and manage the immediate and ongoing needs of Nova Scotians when a crisis or disaster occurs.
The Nova Scotia Guard will be a group of volunteers from across the province who will help communities during and after emergencies. The Nova Scotia Guard will include volunteers with specialty skills and members of the public to fill a variety of roles depending on emergency needs. It will harness the many talents of Nova Scotians and their sense of community.
The new Department of Emergency Management will oversee the Nova Scotia Guard. It will also include existing emergency response teams from across government, with expanded responsibilities such as:
leading Nova Scotia’s co-ordinated emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery initiatives
leading the co-ordination of all organizations, internal and external, that respond to emergencies and disasters
working closely with communities, as well as Indigenous, federal, municipal and private-sector partners
Nova Scotians can express their interest in volunteering for the Nova Scotia Guard by clicking here
or by phoning 211.
Provincial Grant Finder Tool
Our government continues to invest in community groups that are at the heart of our communities.
Our new grant finder tool will make it easier for groups to access funding and focus on their important work. This is how we are reducing red tape and building up Nova Scotia.
Learn more here.
March in Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River
New Public Housing Announced for Bible Hill
New public housing in Colchester County will give up to 20 people a place to call home.
Announced March 15, seven units of new public housing will be built at the site of Allison Place, 40 Allison Avenue, Bible Hill.
The new building will have two storeys with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The first floor will be fully accessible. Construction will begin in spring 2025 with a targeted completion date of fall 2026.
The new housing units are part of the 222 units for the province announced in September.
The sites were selected based on:
suitability of the property
capacity to add more units to existing public housing sites
need for public housing and accessible units
proximity to services and amenities such as grocery stores and public transit
Bible Hill Kinsmen Great Trivia Challenge
It is always a pleasure to support the Bible Hill Kinsmen and their Annual Great Trivia Challenge is such a fun way to do it. Thanks to everyone who came out to participate!
Egg Farmers of Nova Scotia AGM
On March 5 I had the pleasure to bring greetings to the Egg Farmers of Nova Scotia at their Annual General Meeting at the Inn on Prince Truro on behalf of the Honorable Greg Morrow, Minister of Agriculture.
The Egg Farmers of Nova Scotia is a non-profit organization representing the province’s 25 registered egg farmers, who are dedicated to providing Nova Scotians with a stable supply of fresh, high-quality, locally produced eggs.
For more information, visit https://nsegg.ca
Truro & Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity Meeting
It is always great to sit down with David Phillips, CEO of the Truro and Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity to discuss their initiatives and opportunities for potential business growth in our region.
Thank you, David, for your continued engagement and dedication.
Approved Funding for Town of Truro & Village of Bible Hill
Investments in Capital Infrastructure announced in the Town of Truro and Village of Bible HillI. Investing in communities and ensuring they are ready for continued growth is important. That is why the Houston government is increasing support for infrastructure projects across the province as part of the single largest provincial investment in municipal infrastructure in decades.
The provincial government is investing over $696,000 in the Town of Truro for improvements at the town’s reservoir. This project is a high priority for the town and will help prevent future flooding in the downtown core.
The Village of Bible Hill use over $124,000 to replace and upgrade their stand-by generator for emergency services. The Municipal Capital Grant Program, MCGP, will support critical infrastructure projects including housing, climate change, accessibility, and growth throughout the province. The MCGP funding will help build up Nova Scotian communities with a one-time $102 million investment in municipal infrastructure across the province.
38th Annual Rick Russell Loggersports Competition
On March 23, I was pleased to make an early morning visit to the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus to watch the opening of the 38th Annual Rick Russell Loggersports Competition hosted by the Dal AC Rams.
As always, I remain deeply appreciative of the opportunity to be your MLA. If you know of anyone who would like to receive future editions of this monthly newsletter, please reach out to the constituency office at 902-897-0884 or mlaritcey@bellaliant.com.
Sincerely,
Dave Ritcey, MLA
Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River