(March 24, 2022) – Paul Dinn, PC Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Health and Community Services and MHA for Topsail-Paradise, says reports of physician burnout in Newfoundland and Labrador is more evidence the government needs a credible plan to work through surgery backlogs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“The Canadian Medical Association has stated over half of its membership is reporting burnout after two years of protecting our communities from COVID-19, which is almost double the previously reported number. Medical professionals of all stripes have been there for us throughout this pandemic. It’s clear they need support from government as we move toward the finish line of this pandemic,” said Dinn.

“The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association has already outlined the huge amount of delayed or deferred surgeries, amounting to a 6,000-procedure backlog in St. John’s alone. How can we expect our medical professionals to climb that mountain when they’re already dealing with burnout?”

Dinn says the Minister of Health has had seven years to improve conditions for medical professionals in Newfoundland and Labrador and focus on recruitment to help spread the burden, but has failed.

“We continue to see other provinces recruit our medical professionals into their healthcare system. Every time a doctor leaves, it leaves a higher workload for those who remain. It becomes a snowball effect for our healthcare system, and the Minister has not been proactive in helping these challenges,” said Dinn.

“The Minister would rather condescend to healthcare graduates than sit with medical professionals to find solutions and work towards a better healthcare system. By ignoring these problems, he’s created an unsustainable situation not only for the people who rely on our healthcare system, but for those who work within it.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca