Health authority VP calls doctors’ pay in Nova Scotia ‘inequitable’

The doctors’ association has found an unusual ally as it pushes for higher pay for family doctors in Nova Scotia.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority posted a video last week in which its vice president of medicine, Dr. Lynne Harrigan, calls the uneven pay between different medical specialties “inequitable.”

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Doctors Nova Scotia pointed out the video to journalists after comments Harrigan made to the legislature’s public accounts committee on Wednesday.

She told MLAs that surveys show “compensation is way down the list” of priorities for doctors when they choose where to practice. She adds that “quality of place” and relationships with other physicians are the first priorities.

The video was posted in response to a backlash from family doctors after the government and Doctors Nova Scotia struck a deal that will see compensation for hospitalists surpass compensation for family doctors.

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“Unfortunately, we have a compensation system in this province that is not in fact equitable,” Harrigan said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Unfortunately, we have a compensation system in this province that is not in fact equitable," Harrigan said.

She calls the deal struck with hospitalists “appropriate” and points out that psychiatrists in Nova Scotia are the lowest paid in the country.

“Its no surprise that we have trouble recruiting psychiatrists,” she said.

Harrigan says family physicians in Nova Scotia are among the lowest paid in the country.

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“We should fight for our family doctors to get more pay in their communities,” she said. “All of these things need to happen.”

Asked about the video, Harrigan said in an emailed statement that the video’s message to physicians “was that we need to support each other and work together to create an appropriate, fair and competitive compensation system for all physicians.”

Doctors Nova Scotia CEO Nancy MacCready-Williams said compensation is increasingly becoming an issue.

“Right now, family physicians are paid amongst the lowest in the country. If they went to New Brunswick or PEI they would make more,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Right now, family physicians are paid amongst the lowest in the country. If they went to New Brunswick or PEI they would make more," she said.