(February 10, 2023, St. John’s) – Paul Dinn, PC Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Health and Community Services and MHA for Topsail-Paradise, says radiation therapists are warning treatment programs are “at risk of crumbling” and it’s time for real action to reverse an on-going crisis.

“We continue to see radiation therapists choosing to leave Newfoundland and Labrador, with eight leaving the province in the last nine months alone. While most provinces are seeing vacancy rates for radiation therapists around 10-14 percent, Newfoundland and Labrador has more than a 27 percent vacancy rate,” said Dinn.

“It affects patients, it affects families, and it means more and more difficulty getting people the help they need at a very difficult moment in their lives. One treatment machine has been shut down since September, causing delays and hardship for patients in our province.”

Dinn says previously announced supports have not solved the issue and have kept the treatment machine shuttered.

“Compensation for radiation therapists is being highlighted as an issue for recruiting therapists to our province, as Newfoundland and Labrador lags behind other provinces on pay. The Liberal Government needs to make recruitment of these professionals a priority to ensure treatment is available when its required,” said Dinn.

“We’re not talking about optional procedures here. We’re talking about lifesaving treatments. It’s not good enough for the Minister to gesture vaguely at national shortages when people in Newfoundland and Labrador continue to face waitlists, backlogs, and anxiety during a critical moment in their lives.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca