Number of Nova Scotians in need of family practice drops by close to 10,000

The number of people looking for a family practice in Nova Scotia has gone down for just the second time since July 2020, but the total number is still more than 14 per cent of the population.

Nova Scotia Health posted updated figures on Friday that show 142,457 people are trying to find a family practice. That's a decrease of 9,544 people since the registry was last updated in July.

The list has been a stubborn reminder of how much work there is to do for the Progressive Conservative government since coming to power in 2021 on the strength of a promise to fix health care. When the Tories were sworn in, there were about 75,000 people on the registry.

The health authority paused the updates during July and August as it attempted to ensure the accuracy of the list and remove anyone who might have found a practice. Staff contacted 17,500 people during that time and a health authority spokesperson said about 10,000 were found to have been attached to a family practice. Staff are still trying to reach about 3,000 people.

Numbers posted on Friday show that although 11,786 people added their names to the registry since the last update, that was offset by 21,330 coming off.

Since July 2020, when there were 45,631 people on the list, the registry has increased every month except one. Health Minister Michelle Thompson has said it's her hope that efforts to boost recruitment and expand collaborative care clinics around the province will help get more patients attached.