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Public health director outlines pilot shared-nurse agreement with Medway to expand hours
Summary
Millis’ public health director presented a proposed intermunicipal agreement with Medway to share a town nurse (15 hours each town, 30 total), aimed at expanding clinical hours, attracting applicants and sharing costs; the agreement is contingent on appropriations and may be expanded to a third town in future.
John McVey, Director of Public Health for the Town of Millis, told the finance committee the department is proposing an intermunicipal agreement (IMA) with neighboring Medway to share a town nurse and boost weekly clinical hours.
"We are looking to get 15 hours a week as opposed to 10 hours a week and help Medway as well as them helping us with that same 30 hours total," McVey said, describing a trial arrangement under which the nurse would spend two days in Millis and two days in Medway. He said the trial is contingent on appropriations but is seen as a cost-saving shared-services approach that can also attract a larger pool of applicants than a 10-hour-per-week posting.
Select board members have reportedly signed the IMA pending appropriations, committee members said. McVey told the committee he and staff are also exploring adding a third town to cover remaining hours and to further stabilize staffing; he said the partner town would be assessed for their share of employee costs and related benefits.
Committee members asked how the agreement would be handled if a partner withdrew; McVey said contracts typically require 90 days’ notice and the town would have short-term options such as reducing the nurse’s hours or using reserve funds while seeking another partner.
The committee asked for follow-up budget details and accounting for shared employment costs before making a final recommendation to the full finance process prior to town meeting.
