Nova Scotia’s primary care waitlist surpasses 140,000 mark

HEALTHCARE

Nova Scotia’s primary care waitlist surpasses 140,000 mark

More than six years since Nova Scotia Health began reporting on improving patient access to primary care, the number of Nova Scotians who say they’re in need of a family doctor or nurse practitioner has more than quintupled. As of the latest Need a Family Practice Registry report, released on April 14, there are now 142,262 Nova Scotians actively looking for a primary care provider—a population that would form the province’s second-largest municipality, if it were its own region. That figure was just 25,210 when the province’s health authority shared its first Need a Family Practice update on March 7, 2017.

While Nova Scotia Health’s latest report shows some signs of progress—West Hants’ primary care waitlist has shrunk for the second month in a row—the overall trend points toward a worsening situation across the province. And Halifax is no different.

Need to know

🌦 Today's weather: Sunny in the morning and a 60% chance of showers in the afternoon. A high of 9C and a low of 4C.

💉 After a confirmed case of measles in the HRM, Public Health is holding a vaccine clinic for the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) on Apr. 20 from 8am to 4pm at the Public Health Office in Dartmouth.

🚧 Roosevelt Drive from Chebucto Road to Flinn Street and Flinn Street from Roosevelt Drive to Macdonald Street will be closed starting today at 7am until Sept. 29 at 7pm.

🚧 Robie Street from Stairs Street to Livingstone Street and Stairs Street to Massachusetts Avenue will be closed today between 8am and 4pm.

🌷 Halifax Crafters Market is back! Visit the market this Saturday, Apr. 22 and Sunday, Apr. 23 at the Light House Arts Centre in Halifax.*

🏗️ Something very new on one of Halifax’s oldest streets! Register now to be the first in line for updates on Navy Lane, coming this May.*

🧑‍🚒 Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency celebrates National Volunteer Appreciation Week. Proud to have over 500 volunteers that support their community, ensuring a safer Halifax Regional Municipality.*

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TOGETHER WITH EAST COST MUSIC AWARDS 2023

Stay connected to the music at the 2023 ECMAs

The East Coast Music Awards: Festival and Conference is back in Halifax this spring. With the Weekend Warrior Wristband and TD Connected Concerts, you can jump from show to show and catch dozens of Atlantic Canada’s finest artists, all within just minutes of each other!

Check out rising East Coast artists as well as established stars. The lineup includes performers like The Town Heroes, Campbell & Johnston, Fortunate Ones, The East Pointers, Adam Baldwin, and so many more. There’s something for everyone to get excited about.

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On The Coast

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHOLETHERAPY

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In other news

🏳️‍🌈 Arla Johnson, who was recently ordained in Halifax, has made history as the first openly queer and married person to be ordained by the Baptist Church in Canada. CBC sat down with Johnson for an interview.

🙋 Nominations are now open for the 2023 Provincial Volunteer Awards. Applications close May 23.

🫶 Find out how The North Grove Community Kitchen in Dartmouth is navigating the province-wide volunteer shortage with little difficulty.

🩺 Halifax’s Emma Perry is calling on the government to implement more funding for people diagnosed with diabetes after not being able to afford life-saving monitoring devices for herself. Global News has the story.

🏒 The federal government has restored its funding for Hockey Canada after halting the money last year for Hockey Canada’s mishandling of sexual assault allegations.

📉 Canada’s inflation rate is now 4.3%—the lowest it’s been since Aug. 2021.

⚠️ A trail at Oak Avenue and Fales River Drive in Greenwood was closed and nearby neighbourhoods were evacuated yesterday morning after a suspicious device was found.

THEATRE

The Book of Mormon adds four shows to its upcoming Halifax run

Halifax, you're really, really excited about the two Broadway performances coming to the city in 2023: Enough, in fact, to warrant an extension to The Book of Mormon's run this July at the Scotiabank Centre.

Yup, that's right: A press release from the show producers sent this morning says that four extra shows are being added to the musical's fast-selling date range, from July 18-23. Tickets will be on presale starting Thursday, April 20 at 10am, with the code "book".

Until now, tickets for The Book of Mormon were being sold in a bundle—what the Scotiabank Centre was describing as a "season package"—with tickets to Come From Away, another Broadway musical showing in Halifax this November. Starting on Friday, April 21, (or the day prior, if you use the presale info above) individual tickets to just The Book of Mormon will be on sale. Available via the Scotiabank Centre website, they range from $85-$150.

As of press time, tickets for just Come From Away are not yet available for purchase.

🤝 Now hiring

• Director of operations and development at the Ecology Action Centre

• Co-manager at Biscuit General Store

• Drink maker and order taker at Lemon Dogs Burgers & Lemonade

• Sous chef & 
pastry chef at Luckett Vineyards

• Server at Stone’s Throw Patio

Hiring? Reply back and let us know!

📸 Coast Cam

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