More than 156,000 people in Nova Scotia are on the family physician waitlist.

The organization that represents more than 3,500 physicians, medical students and residents in Nova Scotia is concerned with provisions in legislation introduced by the minister of finance on March 5 as part of the budget process.

Doctors Nova Scotia said clauses in the Financial Measures Act to amend the Personal Health Information Act would grant the minister of health and her department expanded access to the health records of Nova Scotians.

New changes to the Privacy and Health Information Act could mean divulging your personal health records to the health minister. 

Why aren’t there more family doctors? Two-and-a-half years after the Houston government came to power on a promise to “fix” health care, there are now 150,047 people registered on the aptly named wait list called “needafamilypractice.” The province continues to spend tens of millions of dollars annually on efforts to retain and recruit family doctors and nurses.