HALIFAX: The province announced April 25 that it will welcome 30 new paramedics in 2024-25 following Nova Scotia’s first in-person healthcare recruitment effort in Australia earlier this year.
Michelle Thompson, Minister for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment, said Solution One in Action for Health is being a magnet for healthcare workers, and results like these tells N.S. they are well on their way.
“Nova Scotia has a lot to offer – not just an exciting career, but a place to call home in communities from one end of the province to the other,” said Thompson.
“I’m thrilled to welcome these new team members to our province and to our growing healthcare system.”
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The new hires are accredited and experienced advanced care paramedics. Nova Scotia is recognized globally as a leader in the field, and a paramedic’s scope of practice in the province is similar to that in Australia.
The first 13 paramedics from Australia will start work in July; others will start in early 2025. They will work for Emergency Medical Care Inc. in communities throughout Nova Scotia.
Partner organizations are also working to match continuing care assistants and pharmacists from Australia with Nova Scotia employers, and Nova Scotia Health is working with several physician candidates.
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N.S. has identified Australia as a key recruitment market for critical roles in its health system, including physicians, paramedics, pharmacists, medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals, nurses and continuing care assistants.
Several of these professions have expedited licensing options for Australian healthcare workers.
Australian recruitment mission partners held one-on-one meetings with pre-screened candidates and spoke to students, medical residents and physicians at a series of information sessions.
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Quotes:
“Global recruitment initiatives like this one have so many positives. Our new team members are being welcomed into a great province with caring residents.
“They are joining a paramedicine service that is globally recognized and is continuously innovating.
“As additional team members, they will have a positive impact on current paramedics’ work environment.
“Their knowledge and skills will add to our service delivery, benefiting the care Nova Scotians receive.”
— Matthew Crossman, Chief Operating Officer, Emergency Medical Care Inc.
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Quick Facts:
– the mission to Australia took place February 26 to March 1
– it was led by the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment and the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, joined by Emergency Medical Care Inc./Medavie, Health Association of Nova Scotia, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Health
– health-system partners participated in about 230 healthcare recruitment events in 2023-24
– marketing and recruitment efforts in 2023-24 resulted in 2,691 new candidate contacts system-wide
