Union pushes for special pay bump to keep psychologists in province
Allied Health Professionals president Gordon Piercey says he hopes new health minister will right the ship
The union representing Eastern Health psychologists says there is an urgent need to retain mental health professionals and is urging the Newfoundland and Labrador government to consider a labour market adjustment as a start.
Gordon Piercey, president of the Association of Allied Health Professionals, says psychologists have been leaving Eastern Health slowly over the last several years but the problem reached a head last year when resignations happened weekly.
"We're hearing from some of the members as they're leaving that they're unhappy with the workplace culture. They feel like their concerns are not being heard," Piercey said Thursday.
"They're asked to do a lot more with a lot less resources. And there are some places where there's actually some fairly complicated and I'll even go so far to say toxic workplaces."
As CBC Investigates reported in late June, psychologists are leaving the public sector en masse to enter the more lucrative private sector. Eastern Health is facing a nearly 45 per cent vacancy rate in psychology positions.
However, some clinical psychologists who spoke with CBC News said there were well-documented, long-standing issues at the health authority that had nothing to do with money.
Throwing a bunch of jobs on a health authority website is not a recruitment strategy. It's just hoping that someone's going to see it and move forward.- Gordon Piercey
While it is not the only concern, Piercey said salaries are one way the provincial government can attempt to retain the psychologists that they have.
Labour market adjustments, also known as temporary market adjustments, are limited-time offers made to help employers recruit and retain specific professionals in cases where demand outstrips supply.
He suggests using such a measure to deal with the shortage of clinical psychologists. Piercey said that move would allow the province to add a stipend immediately without waiting for collective bargaining.
- 'Mass exodus' of psychologists from Eastern Health leaves high vacancy rate and patients waiting
- Psychology grad students in limbo while Eastern Health residency program on hold
"It can make a difference. It can keep people and it can, at times, bring people back or bring in new talent," said Piercey, adding a labour market adjustment was successful in keeping pharmacists several years ago.
New minister
Piercey said he is encouraged by a cabinet shuffle this week that saw Health Minister John Haggie switch roles with Education Minister Tom Osborne, who had previously held the position under the Danny Williams Tory government.
He said Osborne contacted Allied Health Professionals the first day on the job and asked for a meeting, which Piercey hopes will happen soon.
"We're hoping that's a good sign and that there's enthusiasm about working together. We need to really look at where we're heading with all of our health professions," Piercey said.
"How do we get creative? Throwing a bunch of jobs on a health authority website is not a recruitment strategy. It's just hoping that someone's going to see it and move forward."
Meanwhile, Eastern Health said it is planning on restarting its psychology residency program — a requirement for licensing — for the 2023-2024 year.
In a statement this week, Eastern Health responded to concerns voiced by psychologists to CBC News who said they felt the health authority used them interchangeably with social workers, and that their concerns were not being listened to.
"Eastern Health values the important contributions of psychologists and social workers," a spokesperson wrote in a statement.
"We certainly recognize that the scopes of practice for these two professions are not entirely interchangeable; however, they each serve as complementary parts of a team of highly skilled professionals that provide a wide range of health care services."
The spokesperson said when recruitment efforts for psychology positions are unsuccessful, the health authority hires advanced practice social workers, who have specialized training.
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