Mr. Speaker, I have Return to Written Question 23-16(2) asked by Mr. Hawkins on June 12, 2008, regarding the use of locum and agency nurses in the NWT.
The Government of the Northwest Territories has contracts with three different agencies. Each of these agencies charges a “finders” fee, which is a fee for locating the nurses that will work in the Health and Social Services authorities. The nurses are then placed on the Health and Social Services authority’s payroll and are provided with compensation in accordance with the Union of Northern Workers collective agreement.
The “finders” fees for each agency are as follows:
Canadian Health Care Agency
•
Community Health Nurse
$150/day
•
Nurse in Charge
$175/day
•
Hospital – Specialty
$125/day
•
Hospital – General Duty
$100/day
Nightingale Nursing Group
•
Community Health Nurse
$150/day
•
Hospital
Nurse
$125/day
Multi Options Nursing Inc.
•
Community Health Nurse
$ 93/day
•
Nurse
Practitioner $125/day
•
Hospital Nurse
$ 78/day
Due to the increased costs associated with filling nurse vacancies through these contracts, the utilization of agency nurses is a last resort for Health and Social Services authorities. However, with the high demand for nurses and other health care professionals throughout Canada and internationally, the Health and Social Services authorities are often unable to hire nurses through the regular GNWT recruitment methods.
Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table a document providing information on the utilization and costs of agency nurses over the last two years for each Health and Social Services authority in the NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.