In an interview this morning with Sue's Blog Sharon King, spokesperson for the Association of Allied Health Professionals in the province, painted a grim outlook regarding the loss of pharmacists from Newfoundland and Labrador.
King says, "Of the 36 graduates of Pharmacy in 2006 only 9 stayed in our province and only one of them stayed in the public system."
The group which just inked a contract with government in August of this year finds itself in an awkward position - the contract does not expire until 2008 and unfortunately the differential in pay between Newfoundland and Labrador has now shot to between 20-40 thousand dollars a year. Sharon King advises, "We have asked government for a labour market adjustment to deal with this critical issue and we are waiting for their response."
King added that Eastern Health had lost 10 pharmacists, Clarenville 2, Burin 1, and Gander and area 3-4.
The spokesperson added, "Things may become worse as an extra year has been added to the Pharmacy Program meaning there will only be 20 graduates in each of the following two years."
Newfoundland and Labrador has seen thousands of people head west in the skilled trades and labour market due to general downsizing of the fishery, stalled oil development, and a general reduction in jobs in the rural areas. Alberta is picking up these people and with their rapidly expanding population that province is starting to pick at all areas of the service sector - by offering significantly higher wage and benefits package.
Sue's Blog will bring you further news on the pharmacists situation as soon as it becomes available. There has been rumblings inside Confederation Building that some sort of recommendation from Treasury Board maybe making its way to Cabinet.
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