The Mount Pearl North's candidates' promises on Health & Healthcare

Children's health and disorders

We don't have any PC policies on Children's health and disorders.

NDP

Hire more psychologists and speech/language pathologists into the public system

"We’ll hire more psychologists and speech/ language pathologists into the public system – slashing the backlog in clinical assessments for children with autism and other disorders or differences." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

We don't have any Liberal policies on Children's health and disorders.

Drugs and addiction

PC

Support creating new treatment centres in NL, increasing access to detox, rehab treatment, and sober living

"Support those here at home who have the expertise and the passion to provide rehabilitation services. We will support the creation of new treatment centres right here in Newfound- land and Labrador. We believe in recovery. This will increase access to detox, rehab treatment, and sober living for those recovering from addictions." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08

We don't have any NDP policies on Drugs and addiction.

We don't have any Liberal policies on Drugs and addiction.

Family doctors and primary care

PC

Cover the costs of Nurse Practitioner visits, with no strings attached

NDP

Get rid of sick notes

"We’ll reduce the administrative burden for family doctors, starting by getting rid of sick notes – ensuring doctors spend more of their time seeing patients rather than filling out paperwork." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Reduce the administrative burden for family doctors by getting rid of sick notes.
Make primary care more accessible in rural and remote areas by expanding the nurse travel locum program province-wide.

Liberal

Create 14 more family care teams across the province

"A re-elected Liberal Government will continue to increase investment in our family care teams to increase the number of patients connected to primary care to 155,000 by the end of next year. We are committed to opening 14 more family care teams across the province to meet the goal of 35 family care teams envisioned by the Health Accord." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Create 10 Mobile Primary Care Teams to travel to rural communities and provide in-person care

"That’s why a re-elected Liberal government will introduce 10 new Mobile Primary Care Teams, with the first one starting in central Newfoundland. These Mobile Primary Care Teams will travel to rural communities in the region with the specific goal of providing in-person care to those without a primary care provider. The services and care this team will provide will be the same as you would normally expect to receive from a family physician.

The first team will be made up of a doctor and a registered nurse who will travel on a regular schedule in Cottrell’s Cove/Fortune Harbour, Point Leamington and Leading Tickles for in-person appointments.

This model will be replicated throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, increasing direct, in-person access to primary care for rural and remote residents." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02

Health governance

PC

Fully review MCP operations, with the goal of reducing paperwork burden

"Conduct a full review of MCP operations with a goal to reduce the burden of paperwork." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08

We don't have any NDP policies on Health governance.

We don't have any Liberal policies on Health governance.

Health staffing

PC

Provide paid work terms for students training in medical and healthcare professions
Add 50 more spaces to the MUN School of Nursing

"Add 50 seats to our nursing school. We will train, recruit and retain more local nurses so that we can end the reliance on costly out-of-province travel nurse agencies." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Double the size of the Nurse Practitioner programme
Provide job offers to healthcare students at the beginning of their studies, if they're training in a programme where there are staff shortages

"Recruit additional healthcare workers by providing every student, training in a program where there are staff shortages, an offer of employment at the beginning of their studies." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Refund tuition for healthcare workers who work in the province after finishing their studies
Show 3 more promises...

Increase the number of seats at the MUN medical school, to train more doctors

"Double the size of our province’s nurse practitioner program and train more doctors by increasing the number of seats in our medical school." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Create and follow a Health Human Resource Plan, publicly outlining the mix of healthcare providers needed, and where and when they're needed

"Create and follow a Health Human Resource Plan. This will publicly outline the mix of health- care providers who are needed, where they are needed, and when they are needed. Health- care workers themselves will be involved in creating this plan." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Provide overhead support and incentives to nurse practitioners and family doctors from other provinces who come to NL

"Bring nurse practitioners and family doctors here — and keep them here. We’ll make Newfoundland and Labrador the place they want to build their careers, with overhead support and incentives to help them set up clinics and help patients." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08

NDP

Recruit an additional 1,000 healthcare workers over four years

"We’ll launch our NL Cares health plan to recruit an additional 1000 healthcare workers over four years – bolstering our frontline staff and getting patients the care they need, when they need it." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Ensure paid work terms for NL healthcare students

"We’ll ensure paid work terms for NL healthcare students – integrating our healthcare students into our healthcare system early on in their careers." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Work with front-line healthcare staff to develop effective safe hours legislation
Set up an independent council to address health and safety issues in the healthcare sector, including workplace violence

"Set up an independent Health Sector Safety Council to deal with workplace violence and other health and safety issues specific to the healthcare sector" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Give healthcare workers greater power to self-schedule, where appropriate

"Make shift flexibility a reality by giving healthcare workers greater power to self- schedule (where appropriate)" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Show 9 more promises...

Review the Job Evaluation System applied to allied health professionals

"Commit to a review of the Job Evaluation System applied to allied health professionals in 2015" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Prioritise recruiting allied health professionals

"Reduce the burden on healthcare within the system by making it a priority to recruit allied health professionals and others to reduce workloads" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Expand the nurse travel locum programme province-wide to provide primary care in rural and remote areas
Create 20 new seats at Memorial's Medical School
Implement support and mentorship systems for new health profession graduates
Restore the full-time recruiter position in the MUN Medical School for physicians, and hire one dedicated to nursing schools and another dedicated to allied health professionals

"Restore the full-time recruiter position in the MUN Medical School for physicians, and hire one specifically devoted to nursing schools, and one for other healthcare professionals and other identified worker positions in the healthcare system" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Merge all medical recruiters into a single Office for Medical Professional Recruitment

"Merge the new recruiters and those in the regions of NLHS into a single Office for Medical Professional Recruitment to avoid duplicating effort, to work together on common goals, and to share expertise and resources" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Start recruitment initiatives in medical and nursing students' first years

"Start recruitment initiatives early, by building relationships with medical and nursing students in their first year" — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27
Create bursaries and accommodations allowances to ensure vacant seats in smaller nursing schools are filled every year

"Create bursaries and accommodations allowances to ensure that vacant seats in smaller nursing schools outside St. John’s and Corner Brook are filled every year." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Recruit an additional 1000 healthcare workers over four years.
Hire more psychologists and speech language pathologists into the public system.
Create bursaries and accommodations allowances to ensure that vacant seats in smaller nursing schools outside St. John’s and Corner Brook are filled every year.

Liberal

Create a dedicated crown corporation to recruit and retain health professionals, including providing them with wraparound settlement supports

"A re-elected Liberal government will establish a dedicated crown corporation tasked with health professional recruitment, retention, and workforce planning.

This organization will work directly with NLHS, provincial and federal government departments, as well as labour organizations and licensing bodies to address vacancies across all health care disciplines. It will focus on local education and training capacities, international recruitment, credential recognition, and immigration support. Wraparound settlement support will also be coordinated – ensuring housing needs, spousal employment assistance and community integration. This strategy will be informed by the health human resources plan, as well as the core staffing review currently underway."

— nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Cover tuition costs for practicum courses for NL nursing students

"To support our next generation of nurses and provide them certainty, we will cover the costs of tuition associated with all practicum courses for Newfoundland and Labrador nursing students. This will reduce the costs associated with studying for future nurses who sign a two-year return to service agreement. This will apply to those studying for RN, LPN and NP licensure, and we will work with other high-demand health professions to ensure they are supported in their studies as well." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Offer all graduating nurses full-time permanent positions in NL

"This year, we offered all nursing students a full-time permanent position in the province. We will continue this with a commitment to offer all graduating nurses full-time permanent positions in Newfoundland and Labrador." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Introduce a permanent nurse travel locum programme to serve rural, remote, and underserved communities

"Building from the success of pilot projects, a re-elected Liberal Government will also introduce a permanent travel locum program that will benefit all regions of the province. This will help address nursing shortages and improve access to care in rural, remote, and underserved communities." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Establish an Independent Health Sector Safety Council

"Our government will also establish an Independent Health Sector Safety Council to provide oversight to protect health care workers and patients." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Show 2 more promises...

Work with labour organisations to ensure safe working hours for healthcare workers
Work towards eliminating mandated overtime for healthcare workers

Hospital parking

PC

Provide free parking at all healthcare facilities

We don't have any NDP policies on Hospital parking.

We don't have any Liberal policies on Hospital parking.

Long-term care

PC

Create laws to protect older adults in care

"Create laws to protect older adults and improve home care, supportive housing, personal care homes, and long-term care." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Use a 10-year plan to make sure there are enough personal care homes and long-term care beds

NDP

Legislate that no couple is forcibly separated in long-term care

"We’ll pass legislation, similar to legislation passed in Nova Scotia, ensuring that no couple is forcibly separated in long-term care – bringing comfort and compassion back to families." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Pass legislation ensuring that no couple is forcibly separated in long-term care.

Liberal

Create an independent standalone monitoring and licensing body for long-term care and personal care homes, with powers to impose sanctions for non-compliance

"We will also create an independent standalone monitoring and licensing body, to monitor Long Term Care and Personal Care Homes for compliance with operational standards, investigate complaints, and impose sanctions for non-compliance. This will ensure seniors receive consistent, quality care throughout the province." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02

Mental health

PC

Hire more mental healthcare workers

"Reduce wait times for mental healthcare by hiring more mental healthcare workers, including psychiatrists, psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, counselors, case workers and addiction specialists. We will fill positions the Liberals have left vacant. With a mix of professionals, patients will get the right care at the right time - reducing their wait." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Expand mobile mental health crisis teams
Work to increase access to mental health supports and services across Labrador

NDP

Cover three psychological therapy visits per year through MCP for every resident

"We’ll prioritize mental health with a fund to cover the costs of three psychological therapy visits per year through MCP for every Newfoundlander and Labradorian – eliminating the waitlist and getting those in need the care they deserve." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Create a fund to cover the costs of three psychological therapy visits per year through MCP for every Newfoundlander and Labradorian.

We don't have any Liberal policies on Mental health.

Prescription drugs and pharmacare

PC

Negotiate with the federal government on a national pharmacare programme

"Negotiate with the federal government to secure a national pharmacare program that lowers the cost of prescription drugs and diabetic supplies." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08

NDP

Immediately sign onto the Federal Pharmacare agreement to cover the costs of some pharmaceuticals

"We’ll end the Liberal foot-dragging and immediately sign on to the Federal Pharmacare agreement – saving patients hundreds of dollars every year on the medication they rely on." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Immediately sign on to the Federal Pharmacare agreement.

Liberal

Negotiate a funding agreement with the federal government for joining the national pharmacare programme

"A re-elected Liberal government will engage the Federal Government to negotiate a funding agreement to join the national pharmacare program." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02

Rural health

PC

Create a permanent province-wide programme to bring local nurses and nurse practitioners to people

"Replace out-of-province travel nurses with local nurses with a permanent province-wide program that brings registered nurses and nurse practitioners to you. A recommendation of the RNU." — For All of Us: PC Platform Highlights, retrieved 2025-10-03

"Create a permanent team of local, Newfoundland and Labrador, nurses and nurse practitioners. This team will provide healthcare in different parts of the province, when and where they’re needed most - especially in rural, remote, and underserviced communities. A recommendation of the Registered Nurses’ Union, this will reduce the reliance on expensive out- of-province travel nurses." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Fully cover medical transportation costs for patients who need to receive essential care outside their local region
Buy 4 MRI machines, with one each for Labrador, Grand Falls-Windsor, and the Burin Peninsula

Reduce wait times with the purchase of at least 4 new MRI machines for rural Newfoundland and Labrador. New MRIs will be located in Labrador, Grand Falls-Windsor, the Burin Peninsula with the fourth local to be determined based on need." — For All of Us: PC Platform Highlights, retrieved 2025-10-03
Reopen the emergency rooms in Botwood and Whitbourne 24 hours/day
Provide operational funding for the Lionel Kelland Hospice
Show 6 more promises...

Introduce a routine daily medical air transportation service based out of Gander

"Introduce a routine daily medical air transportation service based out of Gander. This will help rural patients receive more timely care without having to travel long distances via road." — pcnl.ca, retrieved 2025-10-06
Bring patients, who travel into St. John's on the air ambulance, back to their home region, at no charge
Open a new urgent care clinic in Conception Bay South

"The proposed Urgent Care Clinic with access to nurse practitioners, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. By helping people avoid emergency departments, the centre will reduce wait times and improve access to care closer to home." — pcnl.ca, retrieved 2025-10-06
Create a new Labrador Regional Health Council

"The creation of a new Labrador Regional Health Council to ensure that Labradorians shape Labrador healthcare services. " — pcnl.ca, retrieved 2025-10-06
Buy Corner Brook a PET Scanner
Review services and bed availability in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador West

"Review services and bed availability in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador West to ex- plore ways to reduce the need to travel, reduce wait times, and improve patient care." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08

NDP

Fast-track a review of the Medical Transportation Assistance Program
Remove the requirement for additional physician notes for patients requiring an escort
Expand the nurse travel locum programme province-wide to provide primary care in rural and remote areas

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Fast-track a review of the Medical Transportation Assistance Program (MTAP) and take necessary steps to improve service by eliminating red tape like requiring additional physician notes for medical escorts.

Liberal

Introduce a permanent nurse travel locum programme to serve rural, remote, and underserved communities

"Building from the success of pilot projects, a re-elected Liberal Government will also introduce a permanent travel locum program that will benefit all regions of the province. This will help address nursing shortages and improve access to care in rural, remote, and underserved communities." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02
Create 10 Mobile Primary Care Teams to travel to rural communities and provide in-person care

"That’s why a re-elected Liberal government will introduce 10 new Mobile Primary Care Teams, with the first one starting in central Newfoundland. These Mobile Primary Care Teams will travel to rural communities in the region with the specific goal of providing in-person care to those without a primary care provider. The services and care this team will provide will be the same as you would normally expect to receive from a family physician.

The first team will be made up of a doctor and a registered nurse who will travel on a regular schedule in Cottrell’s Cove/Fortune Harbour, Point Leamington and Leading Tickles for in-person appointments.

This model will be replicated throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, increasing direct, in-person access to primary care for rural and remote residents." — nlliberals.ca, retrieved 2025-10-02

Seniors' health

PC

Invest $26M to build seniors' communities across the province

"While speaking to a local seniors' organization, Wakeham announced a new PC government will invest $26 million to help build vibrant, active, seniors communities across the province.

'My government will work with communities - just like the one here in Lab west, to help create affordable and independent housing for seniors who prefer to move into a community environment,' said Wakeham 'We want seniors to live healthy, active lives surrounded by their friends in their communities' "

— pcnl.ca, retrieved 2025-10-06
Review the home support programme to ensure access

"Help seniors age comfortably at home by expanding programs and services. We will con- duct a review of the home support program to make sure seniors who need home care can receive home care." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08
Improve access to household repairs and safety upgrades like grab bars and ramps

"Make it easier for seniors to stay in their homes by improving access to repairs and safety upgrades like grab bars and ramps." — For All of Us, retrieved 2025-10-08

NDP

Increase wages and benefits for home support workers, and work towards integrating them into the public system

"We’ll increase the wages and benefits for home support workers, as a first step towards integrating them into the public system – supporting seniors to stay in their homes longer." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Increase the wages and benefits for home support workers, as a first step towards integrating them into the public system.

Liberal

Double the Aging Well at Home Grant to $800/year
Double the Caregiver Benefit to $800/month

Serious illnesses

We don't have any PC policies on Serious illnesses.

NDP

Provide patient navigators for cancer patients and patients with other major conditions

"We’ll provide patient navigators for those with cancer and other major conditions so they can get the resources they need quickly and efficiently." — A Better Deal for People in Newfoundland and Labrador, retrieved 2025-09-27

We don't have any Liberal policies on Serious illnesses.

Wait-times

We don't have any PC policies on Wait-times.

Donn Sears

NDP candidate in your district

Recruit an additional 1000 healthcare workers over four years.

We don't have any Liberal policies on Wait-times.