Statement on Provincial Budget 2023-2024
Michele Lowe, Executive Director, Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association — March 24, 2023
The Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association welcomes the release of the Government of Nova Scotia’s Budget 2023/24 and its continued investments in long-term care. We thank our government for recognizing that a stable and sustainable healthcare system in Nova Scotia includes significant investments in our sector.
We are very pleased to see the ongoing commitment to increase the standard of care to 4.1 hours of nursing care for each resident living in LTC. This investment along with increased spending for capital upgrades and infrastructure renewal, supports our shared commitment to enhance the care for those we serve and the places they call home. NHNSA also commends the provincial government for the sound investments in frontline staff with ongoing funding for increased wages for our CCA workforce and initiatives to attract Nova Scotians to this rewarding career.
Long term care homes rely heavily on a wide mix of skills from health professionals, ranging from nurses and continuing care assistants to occupational therapists, to administrative support staff, including nutrition managers, recreation program managers, and maintenance supervisors, to cleaning and laundry staff. Each role is critical to the delivery of quality care in Nova Scotia. Leaders in LTC lag the benefits and compensation of their colleagues in other roles of Nova Scotia’s healthcare system. Unfortunately, it was not acknowledged in this budget.
NHNSA calls upon the NS Government to partner with our sector to make meaningful investments that will create a competitive market to attract top talent to our sector, build capacity among leadership roles, recruit and retain committed managers and position our workforce to bravely meet the expansion of the long-term care program in Nova Scotia. Our leaders have weathered increased responsibilities throughout the pandemic with dignity and unwavering dedication to their residents and to their teams.
Compensating LTC leadership appropriately and fairly is a key component in assuring our sector will be thriving and sustainable to meet the needs of those among Nova Scotia’s most vulnerable. It goes hand in hand with your most welcomed other initiatives.
The Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association gratefully acknowledges the investments made by the NS Government after decades of underfunding. We are committed to work in partnership with our provincial government to build a modern, high-quality, long-term care program that reflects the pride and commitment of our sector and actively supports the transformation of the Nova Scotia healthcare system.
