Build and Expand 40 Collaborative Care Clinics Across Nova Scotia

We have a shortage of family doctors, and we need to do more to get Nova Scotians the care they need. The Municipality of Clare has a phenomenal primary care model that is fully staffed with healthcare professionals eager to work there. Healthcare professionals have also told us that they want to practice in such a collaborative setting. These clinics improve working conditions, reduce administrative burden, and keep doctors in Nova Scotia.

We can emulate this model province-wide, put a halt to the skyrocketing family doctor waitlist, and attach patients to primary care providers.

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will implement a collaborative care model province-wide by building and expanding 40 collaborative health care clinics across the province. We’ll work closely with existing clinics to make sure they’re running efficiently and are able to take on more patients.

We will increase the annual incentive for physicians from $5,000 to $10,000 if they agree to join a collaborative care practice and increase their patient rosters. We will also introduce bonuses and incentives of up to $15,000 for allied health professionals who commit to working at a collaborative health clinic for a minimum of 5 years.

Initially, we will focus on areas of the province that have the highest percentage of their residents currently waiting on a family doctor:

New Glasgow – 26.1% of population on the registry (8,890 people)
Yarmouth – 25.3% … (6,284 people)
Bridgewater – 22.9% … (6,382 people)
Bedford – 22.4% … (10,395 people)
Amherst – 20.9% … (2,834 people)
Sackville – 20.7% … (10,082 people)
Halifax Peninsula – 20.1% … (13,852 people)
Clayton Park – 20% … (7,784 people)
Middleton – 17.7% … (3,930 people)
Sydney – 16.9% … (8,430 people)
Dartmouth/Cole Harbour: 15.3% … (20,237 people)

Cost estimate: Cost estimate: $15.1M/year

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