As physician recruitment and retention continues to be a hot-button issue, the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore is set to tackle the local doctor shortage crisis head on. 

Members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and Community Leaders have come together to form the charity’s first-ever Physician Recruitment Committee.

For the past two years, the Health Services Foundation had funded NOW Lunenburg County’s physician recruitment work but Foundation Board Chair Nick Saunders knows the organization is now ready to work with health care and community leaders to address the need for more doctors.

“Traditionally, the Foundation has purchased equipment for its supported sites, however, the spectrum of work has now shifted. Being able to build on the great work that NOW Lunenburg County has done will allow the committee, established by the Health Services Foundation to focus 100% on physician recruitment.”

“I am extremely proud of the work and objectives already accomplished by the group of individuals that have assembled to push the project forward. With the Lunenburg County population growing at a feverish pace this is going to become even more critical. I can’t wait to begin to the see the results of the work ahead.”

The Foundation’s Physician Recruitment Committee is supported by provincial efforts out of the newly formed Department of Physician Recruitment. It has also begun engagement with successful organizations across the country as well as local physicians to see what the needs and hurdles of enticing doctors to the South Shore area.

Committee members include:

Mildred Moyer (Committee Chair)

Alison Clements

Emmi Fraser

Gretchen Gerhardt

Pam Kennedy

Dr. Heather Robertson

Nick Saunders (Board Chair)

Marta Selassie

Arleen Stevens

Janice Tanner-Ernst (Board Vice-Chair)

Dr. Sarah Tennant

The Health Services Foundation of the South Shore supports South Shore Regional Hospital, Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital and associated sites within Lunenburg County by raising funds for enhanced health care.