Today MPP David Ramsay announced two new health care initiatives that will help attract physicians for residents in Northern Ontario.
The Ontario government is introducing:
- The Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative, which will provide grants to physicians and new physician graduates who agree to practice in a northern or highly rural community.
- The Postgraduate Return of Service Program, in which international medical graduates agree to practice for five years in any Ontario community, except the Toronto area and Ottawa, in exchange for postgraduate training opportunities.
The two initiatives are designed to help northern and rural communities such as Kirkland Lake with their unique challenges in recruiting and retaining physicians, while increasing access to physician services throughout the province.
Ontario is also increasing access to family health care for all by adding 50 Family Health Teams and 25 Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics across the province by 2011.
QUOTES
“Our government is working hard to ensure that we can attract more doctors to Northern Ontario. The Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative will provide immediate benefits and will help increase the availability of health care for local residents.”
- David Ramsay, MPP for Timiskaming-Cochrane
QUICK FACTS
- The two initiatives are the result of changes made to the government’s Underserviced Area Program.
- It’s expected that 175 new international medical graduates will begin practicing each year through return-of-service programs this year and in 2011 and 2012. After that 185 will start practicing annually.
- Through the government’s expansion of medical education, 38 per cent more undergraduate school spaces will be created by 2011/12.
LEARN MORE
Find out more about the Underserviced Area Program.
Learn more about the government’s move to create more Family Health Teams and Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics.
Read more about Health Care Connect which helps Ontarians find a family health care provider.
Contact:
Trevor Mood
Office of David Ramsay, M.P.P.
Timiskaming – Cochrane
(416) 325-7137