Nova Scotia bill targets medical paperwork, aims to reduce number of sick notes

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s health minister says legislation tabled today will increase access to health care in the province by reducing paperwork.

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HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s health minister says legislation tabled today will increase access to health care in the province by reducing paperwork. 

Michelle Thompson says the bill will make it easier for health professionals from other provinces to practise in Nova Scotia by eliminating some administrative burden and associated costs.

Thompson says this bill will get rid of some application and licensing fees that cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000 and are paid by physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other regulated medical professionals who move to Nova Scotia from elsewhere in Canada.

This bill would also limit the ability of employers in Nova Scotia to require sick notes from their staff, meaning sick notes could only be asked of employees who have been off work for more than five days or who have already had two absences for illness within the previous 12 months.

A provincial spokesperson said reducing the need for sick notes is expected to save 50,000 hours of physicians’ time per year, freeing them up to focus on more important work.

As well, Thompson says the tabled legislation would streamline the process of how regulated medical professionals expand their scope of care in order to provide more services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2023.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

The Canadian Press