Looking for a family doctor in N.S.? You may need to ‘stretch’: Health Minister
Global News
Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson told reporters that recent population growth, coupled with retirements, have caused a long wait list for a family doctor.
Nova Scotia’s Health and Wellness minister says the province needs to “stretch” as it grapples with the growing list of residents needing primary care.
According to Action for Health through Nova Scotia Health, 160,234 Nova Scotians were on the Need a Family Practice Registry as of June 1. More than half of those are located in the central zone, which makes up the HRM and surrounding areas.
Answering reporters’ questions earlier this week at the legislature, Michelle Thompson said retirement and an increased population have heightened the growing need for a family practice list, which has grown nearly six per cent from 11 months ago.
“One of the reasons that we know that the list continues to grow is because we do have a population moving. So around 30 per cent of the people on the list say that they’ve come here,” Thompson told reporters.
“Premier (Tim) Houston will say that these are the problems of growth, and we accept those.”
According to Nova Scotia Health, nearly 800 residents joined the list after their family doctor retired in May. Over 600 people who joined the list also identified as new to Nova Scotia.
Statistics Canada data shows more than 492,000 residents live in Halifax, which accounts for 58 per cent of Nova Scotia’s growth. The capital saw a population increase of four per cent from 2022 to 2023.
“We can’t wait for everything to be perfect,” Thompson said.
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