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[04-06-23] Ontario to expand list of tests midwives can order; midwives say it’s a first step

In a recent letter to the chair of the College of Midwives of Ontario (CMO), Health Minister Sylvia Jones wrote that “the ministry has begun the work to advance a proposal to expand midwives’ authority to order additional laboratory tests as well as to allow midwives to perform certain point of care tests.” Midwives claim, however, that government regulations are still preventing them from practicing within their full scope. The CMO seeks removal of restrictions on tests that midwives can order or perform and drugs they can prescribe. It asks instead that midwives be allowed to order the full range of tests and medications used in pregnancy and post-partum care. 
thestar

[04-05-23] B.C. to get patient-to-nurse ratios, a first in Canada

As part of British Columbia’s tentative agreement with the BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) and the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA), the province will implement a new nurse-to-patient care model. This model will be the first of its kind in Canada and will entail a one-to-one ratio for critical care patients; a one-to-two ratio for mental health patients; a one-to-three ratio for specialized care patients; and a four-to-one ratio for palliative care patients. The implementation of this care model will be overseen by a provincial executive steering committee comprised of members from the Ministry of Health and the NBA. Once fully implemented, it will be used by licensed practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, and registered nurses across all sectors of care. The government will also work with the NBA on a “national and international” recruitment plan and a retention strategy.
globalnews | thestar | news.gov.bc | bcnu

[04-04-23] Newfoundland and Labrador changing regulations to allow RNs to prescribe medication

On Monday, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that it is expanding the scope of practice for registered nurses (RNs) by enabling them to prescribe medication, order laboratory and diagnostic tests, and refer patients to specialists. The province will also provide a framework and guidelines for prescriptions, requiring RNs to complete additional training before taking up these duties. Health Minister Tom Osborne notes that these changes, along with the recently-implemented Supervised Practice Experience Partnership Program, “will have a positive impact on the delivery of health care” in the province.
cbc | gov.nl | saltwire

[04-03-23] B.C. Nurses’ Union praises ‘groundbreaking’ commitment in tentative labour deal with province

On Friday, the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA), led by the B.C. Nurses’ Union (BCNU), and the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC) reached a tentative three-year collective agreement covering more than 51,000 registered, psychiatric, and licensed practical nurses in the province. The previous collective agreement between the parties expired on March 31, 2022. General wage increases include $0.25 per hour and 3.24% effective April 1, 2022; 5.5% plus 1.25% cost of living adjustment (COLA) effective April 1, 2023; and 2% plus up to 1% COLA effective April 1, 2024. A statement by the BCNU notes that the proposed terms include “record-setting compensation” and “a groundbreaking commitment from the provincial government” to support not only mandatory nurse-patient ratios but also “many meaningful incentives” to retain and attract nurses. Members of the BCNU will vote to ratify the agreement starting April 20.
cbc | globalnews | heabc.bc

[03-31-23] Saskatchewan to license physician assistants

As part of a plan to reform primary care, Saskatchewan’s Health Minister Paul Merriman introduced TheMedical Profession Amendment Act, 2023 in the legislature yesterday. The legislation will allow the profession of Physician Assistants (PAs) to be licensed to practice in the province and will establish the scope of practice for the profession. PAs practicing in Saskatchewan will be regulated by the province’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. The government anticipates this introduction will reduce wait times, improve patient discharge rates, and decrease the length of hospital stays. The province has set aside $1.3 million in its 2023-24 budget to create 12 PA jobs.
cbc | regina.ctvnews | thestar | leaderpost | saskatchewan

[03-30-23] CAQ unveils Santé Québec, the new agency in charge of fixing the province’s health-care system

Québec’s Health Minister Christian Dubé tabled Bill 15, a new plan to reform the province’s health system and make it more efficient, at the National Assembly on Wednesday. The Bill will create a new provincial agency called Santé Quebec, which will oversee all activities related to the public health care system. Santé Québec would supplant the existing 34 regional health agencies and become the sole employer of the province’s 350,000 health workers. Dubé believes this change will “make it easier to move people around to where the needs are the greatest” by allowing professionals to change institutions without losing seniority.
cbc | globalnews | globalnews (video) | montreal.ctvnews | montrealgazette

[03-29-23] Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta lead record family medicine residency vacancies

According to data from the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), 268 family medicine residency positions remain unfilled across the country after the first 2023 matching round. This is the highest number in CaRMS’s 53 year history. Family medicine vacancies accounted for 76% of all vacant residency spots. The provinces with the highest number of vacancies in family medicine are Ontario (100 unfilled spots), Québec (99 unfilled spots), and Alberta (42 unfilled spots). The College of Family Physicians of Canada acknowledges the declining interest in this specialization among medical students. It is widely suggested that physician compensation models, provincial politics, and the absence of primary care reform are important factors in driving medical students away from family medicine.
cmajnews

[03-28-23] Québec proposes extending nurses’ bonuses to June

On Monday, Québec’s Treasury Board tabled a new bargaining offer to provincial government employees. One proposal extends nurses’ retention premiums until June, when the Treasury Board plans to re-evaluate the situation, “depending on the progress of the negotiations underway.” These include a 3.5% premium for the recognition of healthcare professionals, a 4% evening bonus, and a 2.5% night bonus, and are set to expire later this week. Quebec’s new offer also provides for a “five-year voluntary retention” program that includes a pension increase and a reduction in contributions for experienced employees who continue to work full-time.
montreal.ctvnews | tresor.gouv.qc

[03-24-23] Ontario announces new health-care funding, including $200 million to address staffing shortages

The government of Ontario announced on Thursday that it will spend $81 billion on the health-care sector this fiscal year, up from $75 billion in 2022-2023. The budget increases funding to hospitals by $850 million and allocates $569 million to improve home care, $300 million of which will support contract rate increases. The province further allocates $200 million to addressing immediate health-care staffing shortages by supporting in-hospital training for 6,000 students and accreditation costs for 3,150 internationally educated nurses. The government has also set aside $22 million for hiring 200 “hospital preceptors” to provide mentorship and training to newly graduated nurses; $15 million to retain 100 veteran nurses in the workforce; and $80 million over three years to expand nursing education in universities and colleges. In conjunction with these funds, the government will invest $4.3 million to help at least 50 internationally trained doctors get licensed in the province and $33 million over three years to add 100 undergraduate and 154 postgraduate training seats in medical schools. Finally, Ontario will expand pharmacists’ scope of practice in the fall of this year by allowing them to prescribe medications for more common ailments, such as acne, canker sores and yeast infections.
budget.ontario | thestar | cbc  | nationalpost | cp24 | globalnews (video) 

[03-24-23] New poll:  Alarming number of nurses are looking for the exit sign, with early-career nurses leading the march

A Canada-wide survey of 4,820 nurses reveals that 4 in 10 nurses are intending to retire, leave their jobs, or leave the nursing profession entirely. More specifically, the survey reveals that early-career nurses are more likely to be dissatisfied with their work and that 34% of early-career nurses intend to leave the profession. Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, points out that “nurses overwhelmingly cite high workloads and insufficient staffing levels as the top reasons they’re considering leaving.”
nursesunions | survey results

[03-23-23] Saskatchewan announces $6.9 billion health care budget for 2023-34

On Wednesday, the government of Saskatchewan announced a $6.9 billion health care budget for 2023-24. Key investments include $55.5 million to support the province’s Human Health Resources (HHR) Action Plan by recruiting, training, incentivizing, and retaining more health care workers. The plan includes:

  • $22 million for the implementation of 250 new full-time positions and the enhancement of part-time positions to full-time in rural and remote areas
  • $11.9 million for recruiting 850 internationally educated health care workers over two years, including 600 from the Philippines, 200 from Saskatchewan, and 50 from Ukraine 
  • $3.1 million for creating a new RN travel pool program to help mitigate rural and remote health human resource pressures
  • $2.0 million for the provision of incentives to recruit in nine high priority classifications, in rural and remote areas, in exchange for a three-year return-of-service
  • $4.3 million for the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment program 
  • $1.8 million for the Rural Physician Incentive Program to support physician recruitment and retention
  • $1.3 million for the creation of new Physician Assistant positions 

globalnews | saskatchewan | thestar | sun-nurses

[03-22-23] N.S. bill aims to make it easier for Canadian health-care professionals to work in province

On Tuesday, Nova Scotia’s Health Minister Michelle Thompson introduced the Patient Access to Care Act (Bill 256). Highlights of the legislation include:

  • licensing or registration criteria will be waived for healthcare providers coming from other parts of Canada
  • regulators cannot charge healthcare professionals licensed in other parts of Canada an application fee
  • licensing applications must be processed within five business days

The Patient Access to Care Act also:

  • allows all regulators to recognize the credentials and licences of healthcare professionals trained outside Canada
  • allows expanded scope of practice through regulations rather than legislation
  • allows the government to prescribe Workers Compensation Board forms and documents to improve the process for Nova Scotians and doctors

Furthermore, the Bill mandates that provincially-regulated employers will be able to request a sick note only if an employee is absent for more than five days or has already had two absences of five days or less in the previous 12-month period. It is estimated that this change will save physicians approximately 50,000 hours of work per year.
atlantic.ctvnews | cbc | novascotia | nslegislature | thestar | saltwire

[03-21-23] Nurses awarded $10K retention bonuses from province, other health workers to receive $5K

On Monday, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced a $10,000 bonus for nurses working in the province’s publicly funded healthcare system. The province will offer an additional $10,000 next year for nurses who commit to staying in the system and sign a two-year return of service agreement by the end of March 2024. The same signing bonus will be offered to nurses who have left the publicly funded system if they agree to come back and sign a two-year return of service agreement. Other healthcare workers, including paramedics, telehealth staff, respiratory therapists, continuing care staff, ward clerks, housekeeping and food service staff, will soon receive a retention bonus of $5,000.
atlantic.ctvnews  | novascotia | cbc | globalnews

[03-20-23] Ontario upping spending on long-term care staff amid workforce crisis

Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Long-Term Care, announced on Friday that the government will provide $1.25 billion to long-term care homes this fiscal year to hire and retain thousands of long-term care staff across the province. The goal is to ensure that residents are provided, on average, with four hours of daily direct care by March 31, 2025. Direct care includes personal care, such as help with dining, bathing and dressing, as well as moving and dispensing medication. Furthermore, the government confirmed that it consulted with AdvantAge Ontario and the Ontario Long-Term Care Association on the issue of staffing agency price gouging (see HHRnews.ca, February 15, 2023), but could not comment on what action would be taken and when.
thetrillium | thestar | news.ontario

[03-17-23] N.S. nursing regulator to speed up process to accept applicants from seven countries

The Nova Scotia College of Nursing announced that it will implement a new “first-in-Canada” licensing and registration approach for nurses coming to the province. Specifically, RNs who demonstrate “good standing and good character” and are licensed in Canada, the Philippines, India, Nigeria, USA, UK, Australia, or New Zealand, will be eligible for registration and licensure in Nova Scotia immediately after passing the national entry-to-practice exam. This new policy will come into effect on March 29 for Canadian nurses and May 1 for international nurses. It will reduce the application processing timeline from five days to 24 hours for the former and from over a year to a few weeks for the latter.
saltwire | atlantic.ctvnews | thestar | nscn | cbc

[03-16-23] Saskatchewan to provide $200,000 to family doctors in rural and northern areas

Commencing April 1, 2023, the government of Saskatchewan is offering an enhanced Rural Physician Incentive Program to help the retention and recruitment of family physicians in rural and northern communities across the province. The current incentive offers eligible physicians $200,000 over five years, up from $47,000 over four years. To qualify for this incentive, physicians must be new graduates or must have been assessed through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment Program and be practicing in a rural and remote area. Family physicians practising in Regina, Saskatoon, and smaller cities are not eligible for this program.
thestar | globalnews  | panow | saskatoon.ctvnews | saskatchewan

[03-15-23] Relocation Incentive aims to recruit nurses to rural and regional centre workplaces

In 2022, Alberta Health Services (AHS), Covenant Health, Lamont Health Care Centre, the Bethany Group and the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) agreed to create the Rural Capacity Investment Fund (RCIF). The RCIF’s mandate is to support retention, recruitment, and relocation initiatives in order to grow capacity and nursing staff at rural sites. As part of the RCIF, UNA members are now eligible for two remote relocation incentives: $10,000 for relocating to urban sites in the north, central, and south zones of Alberta, and $15,000 for relocating to rural sites within the three zones. To qualify, applicants must relocate at least 100 kilometres from their current worksite and must sign a 12-month return for services agreement. Eligible members can also qualify for a separate $10,000 Relocation Expense Reimbursement, which covers moving costs to rural and remote communities in one of the three zones.
una

[03-14-23] Alberta outlines education funding to train 3,400 more health care workers

The government of Alberta announced that it is investing $72 million over three years to create more than 3,400 new seats in post-secondary health care programs across the province. It is also investing $113 million over the same period to add 100 residency training spaces for newly graduated doctors, particularly in rural areas and specialist fields, and to enable 30 international medical graduates to secure residency positions in the province. In Monday’s press conference, Alberta’s Health Minister Jason Copping said that the province is working to streamline the process of recognizing the credentials of international medical graduates.
theglobeandmail | alberta

[03-13-23] Regulatory changes to ‘eliminate barriers’ in bringing international doctors to Manitoba

The province of Manitoba announced on Friday that it has approved regulatory changes that expedite the integration of internationally educated physicians into the health care workforce. Changes to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) regulations remove the requirement for internationally educated physicians in specific membership classes to pass their Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCCQE1) before registering and practising in Manitoba. The change in regulation acknowledges that internationally educated physicians applying for registration have already completed their medical degrees and residency exams and that the MCCQE1 merely assesses candidates’ medical knowledge and clinical decision-making ability at a level expected of medical students.

winnipeg.ctvnews | news.gov.mb | cpsm | winnipegsun

[03-10-23] Ontario considers expanding scope of practice for nurses, pharmacists, and more

Critics of the Ontario government have said they are concerned that, if passed, Bill 60 (Your Health Act, 2023) will “deregulate” health professionals in the province, allowing lower-paid, lower-trained workers to take on duties performed by doctors and nurses today. In response to these concerns, the Ontario government released a statement on Thursday explaining that “by allowing health care professionals to work outside of their regular responsibilities,” the Act “will increase staffing levels on a short term basis to manage periods of high patient volume.” The Health Ministry further added that it is considering allowing registered nurses to prescribe medication; nurse practitioners, to order and apply defibrillators and electrocardiograms; pharmacists, to administer “certain substances” by injection or inhalation; and chiropodists, midwives, naturopaths and optometrists to prescribe more drugs.
theglobeandmail | thetrillium

[03-09-23] Ontario to be short 33,000 nurses and PSWs in 6 years: financial watchdog

Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office (FAO) released its special report on health care on Wednesday. The report shows that, from 2022-23 to 2027-28, the province has allocated $21.3 billion less than what is needed to fund its commitments to expand hospitals, long-term care, and home care. The FAO also projects that Ontario will be short 33,000 nurses and personal support workers by 2027-28. In the FAO’s view, “these nurse and PSW shortages will jeopardize Ontario’s ability to sustain current programs and meet program expansion commitments.”
thetrillium | fao | globalnews  | globeandmail | thestar

[03-08-23] Nova Scotia announces $58.9M in funding for new medical school at Cape Breton University

On Tuesday, Nova Scotia announced that it will invest $49 million in a second medical school campus at Cape Breton University. The medical school, which is expected to train 30 new doctors every year, is set to open by the fall of 2025 and will operate in collaboration with Dalhousie University. The province will also invest an additional $9.9 million to create a collaborative care clinic at Nova Scotia Community College’s Marconi Campus and to expand Cape Breton University’s health and counselling centre. Premier Tim Houston hopes the new school will help address doctor shortages in rural parts of the province.
cbc | atlantic.ctvnews | thestar | novascotia

[03-07-23] U.S.-licensed doctors can now practise in Nova Scotia without extra certification

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS) has agreed to grant American Board-certified physicians full licensure without requiring Royal College certification. Nova Scotia is the first province in Canada to take such a step. Although the CPSNS is currently reviewing similar accommodations for physicians trained outside of Canada or the U.S., these candidates are still required to take examinations in order to become fully licensed in the province. 
cbc | cpsns

[03-7-23] Physician workforce planning in Canada: the importance of accounting for population aging and changing physician hours of work

Canada currently has a high physician-to-population ratio. However, there are concerns about physician shortages and burnout, and limited access to physician care. To reconcile these observations, Rabiul Islam, Boris Kralj, and Arthur Sweetman analyzed workforce data for physicians from 1987 to 2020, adjusting both for the increase in the ageing population and the decline in the number of hours physicians work. The study found that, although the (unadjusted) physician-to-population ratio in 2019 was 35% higher than in 1987, the adjusted ratio was about 4% lower. Islam, Kralj, and Sweetman conclude that, in order to “inform planning for health human resources in medicine,” measures of physicians per capita “need to be complemented with both demand- and supply-side adjustments.”
cmaj | medicalxpress

[03-06-23] Ontario Nurses’ Association says bargaining with hospitals has broken down

On Friday, the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) announced that negotiations to renew the central agreement with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) had broken down. The parties will proceed to arbitration before William Kaplan on May 2. The last time a contract was successfully negotiated between ONA and the OHA was in 2011.
newswire | globalnews | rabble | ottawa.citynews

[03-06-23] ‘Stop the bleeding,’ Philippines health official says about international recruiting of nurses

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 40% of nurses have retired or left the Philippines to work, and the current nursing shortage stands at more than 350,000. Government officials, hospital administrators, and nursing advocates want countries like Canada to do more to ensure the health care system in the Philippines is sustainable when delegations come to recruit. One solution, suggests the president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc., is for countries like Canada to help pay for nurse training spots or to provide scholarships to students going into nursing. Howard Catton, CEO of the International Council of Nurses, notes that “it’s the higher-income, richer countries” who are taking away nurses from countries that “can least afford to lose” them.
cbc

[03-06-23] Sienna Senior Living v Service Employees International Union, Local 1 Canada, Units 92a, 135a, 150a, 197a, 200a, 233a, 120a; March 3, 2023; Norm Jesin, Chair

An arbitration award was issued on Friday for the renewal of two collective agreements covering RN bargaining units represented by SEIU at eight long term care homes in Ontario. The agreements are for a two year term effective from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023. The Arbitration Board chaired by Norm Jesin ruled that it should apply the terms of the Central Nursing Home agreement awarded by John Stout on October 25, 2021 between the Ontario Nurses’ Association and The Participating Nursing Homes. The Board accordingly awarded general wage increases of 1.75% effective July 1, 2021 and 1.75% effective July 1, 2022. Improvements were also awarded to shift and weekend premiums, responsibility pay, and vision care. Harold Caley, the Union Nominee, dissented from the award with respect to the general wage increases.
canlii

[03-03-23] Nurses march in Toronto to demand better wages, staffing, working conditions

The Ontario Nurses’ Association held a rally and march in Toronto on Thursday to voice their support for higher wages, increased hospital staffing, improved working conditions, and a better collective agreement. ONA is currently in contract negotiations with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) to renew its collective agreement which expires on March 31. Interim ONA President Bernie Robinson said that wages are the main sticking point in negotiations, with offers from the OHA so far being “mere cents instead of dollars.” The OHA stated that it is working “to reach a freely negotiated agreement with ONA.”
newswire  | toronto.ctvnews | cbc | cp24 (video) | thehoser

[03-03-23] Ottawa, B.C. promise to fast-track approvals for international health care workers

On March 1, British Columbia agreed in principle to a ten year, $27.47 billion deal for health care funding from the federal government, including $3.32 billion for a new bilateral agreement. According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the new money comes with “some strings attached,” including a joint commitment to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals and to advance labour mobility for key health professionals. 
theglobeandmail

[03-03-23] RNAO’s Nursing Career Pathways report released

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) released its new report entitled “Nursing Career Pathways” which calls for “breaking barriers to support and retain Ontario’s nurses.” The report makes 24 recommendations, including competitive compensation, safe workloads and healthy work environments, workplace supports and an expanded scope of practice, fast-track registration for internationally educated nurses, and additional education seats and nursing education pathways. The RNAO also calls for a “return to nursing” program to attract 33,000 non-practising nurses in Ontario and for an end to systemic racism and discrimination. 
rnao | news release

[03-02-23] Bargaining for Ontario hospital nurses enters mediation

In late January, the Ontario Nurses’ Association, representative of 60,000 hospital sector RNs and health-care professionals, began bargaining with the Ontario Hospital Association to renew the collective agreement that expires on March 31. ONA’s top two issues are staffing shortages and wages. The parties began mediation yesterday with mediator Colin Johnston in a “last-ditch effort” to reach a negotiated settlement. If mediation fails, the parties will proceed to arbitration before William Kaplan on May 2 and 3. 
theglobeandmail | ona

[03-02-23] Health officials’ trip to Philippines finds 350 nurses, health-care aides who want work in Manitoba

Following a five-day recruitment mission to the Philippines last month, the government of Manitoba has offered letters of intent to 190 registered nurses, 50 licensed practical nurse equivalents, and 110 health care aides. The government says it is working with the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba to “modernize the pathways” to get the nurses into the workforce faster while they are receiving their additional clinical and language training. Howard Catton, chief executive officer of the International Council of Nurses, calls the move by the province “exploitative,” saying it will magnify shortages in the countries from which the nurses are being recruited.
cbc | winnipegfreepress

[03-02-23] Ontario reviewing nursing agency practices in long-term care homes

Ontario’s Long-Term Care Minister stated yesterday that a technical advisory committee has been formed to review the pricing practices of nursing agencies in long-term care homes. AdvantAge Ontario reported two weeks ago that 100 nursing homes were paying $6 million monthly to nursing agencies, noting that the agencies were “gouging” its homes. The Minister said that he wants input from AdvantAge Ontario and the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, and also wants to hear from the staffing agencies and to review what other jurisdictions are doing.
globalnews

[03-01-23] Budget includes $6.4B in new funding for health-care and training in B.C.

In its Budget 2023, the B.C. government announced that it is committing an additional $6.4 billion in new funding over three years to bolster the province’s health care system. Of this, $995 million will go to recruiting and retaining health care workers as part of the province’s expanded Health Human Resources Strategy. The funding will be directed to creating 1,700 new health care positions and offering “targeted financial incentives” to shore up critical staffing needs. The money will also help fund 3,000 new post-secondary training seats and cover nearly 12,000 bursaries and 9,000 training grants. An additional $1 billion will go to implement B.C.’s new payment model for family doctors.
bc.ctvnews | globalnews | news.gov.bc

[03-01-23] Budget 2023: Alberta boosts health funding by nearly $1 billion

Alberta’s Budget 2023 commits an additional $965 million to a total of $24.5 billion for priority health care areas, including decreasing ambulance response, emergency room, and surgery wait times and “empowering front-line health care workers.” $196 million over three years will be dedicated to hiring more EMS staff and implementing recommendations made by the Alberta EMS Provincial Advisory Committee, with an additional $15 million set aside for vehicle and equipment replacements and upgrades. Furthermore, $158 million of the current budget will be allocated in 2023-24 to expanding physician training and recruiting internationally educated medical staff. Under the Alberta Medical Association agreement, the government will also provide $250 million over four years to support retention and recruitment programs and offer program-specific funding for family doctors in rural areas.
edmontonjournal | theglobeandmail | cbc | alberta

[03-01-23] Ontario establishing OHSA committee to address unique risks for paramedics

The province of Ontario is establishing a Paramedic Services Committee under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to develop resources that address the unique health and safety risks faced by paramedics. OHSA committees, comprised of an equal number of members from labour and management, are formed under section 21 of the Act and will provide the Minister of Labour with recommendations for regulatory changes and advice on health and safety issues. Paramedics respond to over 1.6 million calls every year and face risks such as violence and exposure to harmful substances or traumatic events. The province acknowledges that these risks are separate and distinct from those of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who work in fixed locations. The creation of this Committee is supported by CUPE, OPSEU, Unifor, and other provincial labour leaders.
ohscanada | news release | thesafetymag | durhamradionews | opseu

[02-28-23] Newfoundland and Labrador launching health professional recruitment drive in the United Kingdom

The government of Newfoundland and Labrador has announced a mission to the United Kingdom to recruit physicians and other health care professionals. The province chose to focus its recruitment strategies on the UK on account of the similarity between is own physician training standards and those in the UK. Recruitment efforts will target several UK cities with highly-regarded medical schools, and the recruitment team will dedicate its efforts to exploring opportunities for health care professionals who meet equivalent licensure requirements.
saltwire | gov.nl

[02-28-23] Alberta adding more paramedics, acute care and ER staff

On Monday, the province of Alberta announced the addition of more full-time front-line staff to the health care system as part of its Healthcare Action Plan. The additional staff includes 127 full-time allied health staff and 114 full-time equivalent nurses for emergency department teams in Alberta’s 16 largest hospitals and some suburban hospitals. Alberta Health Services will further transition 70 current temporary full-time paramedic positions to regular permanent full-time and recruit an additional 80 full-time paramedics.
calgary.ctvnews  | alberta

[02-28-23] OPINION | We need a national licensing system for Canadian doctors

André Picard seeks to raise awareness of the many challenges posed by the current physician licensing regimes to the effective delivery of health-care across the country. Picard points out that the process of acquiring a provincial- or territorial-specific license is costly, onerous, and time-consuming, which discourages many physicians from taking opportunities across provincial boundaries that they may have otherwise considered. He also notes that this “red tape” affects remote communities disproportionately by unnecessarily limiting the pool of candidates who might consider applying for a range of postings in these regions. In Picard’s view, recent measures taken by Ontario and the Atlantic provinces to loosen licensing restrictions are an important step towards a single licensing regime that is long overdue, especially since the majority of licensing bodies have expressed their support for a pan-Canadian approach.
theglobeandmail

[02-27-23] Pilot project will pay New Brunswick LPNs, PSWs to upgrade nursing skills

The government of New Brunswick has allocated $13.3 million to the “Step Up to Nursing” pilot project for 208 participants over two years. The initiative is a workplace-based, wage-supported learning model that gives New Brunswickers the opportunity to work part-time in the health-care system while completing one of two program streams: PSW-to-LPN or LPN-to-RN. Participants will be paid wages and benefits commensurate with the employer’s job classification and scope of practice. The province will cover tuition fees and maintain wages during periods of learning, including workplace clinical placements.
cbc | atlantic.ctvnews | country94 | gnb | globalnews (video) | globalnews | brochure

[02-27-23] Radiation oncology technologists in the Outaouais will get a bonus

According to the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS) union, Québec’s region of Outaouais is losing radiation oncology technologists to Ontario, with 11 of 52 positions currently vacant. In a bid to attract and retain radiation oncology technologists to the region, the APTS has signed an agreement in principle with the province of Québec to provide a sliding bonus ranging from approximately $3000 to $9000 per year. The bonuses are a piIot project expected to last three years.
cbc

[02-27-23] Nurses rally at The Ottawa Hospital to protest plans to outsource surgeries

Nurses represented by the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) rallied this weekend at The Ottawa Hospital’s Riverside campus to protest plans to outsource orthopaedic surgeries on Saturdays to the Academic Orthopedic Surgical Associates of Ottawa (AOAO), a private group of surgeons. ONA has concerns about patient safety, the poaching of public sector nurses and other staff from The Ottawa Hospital, and liability issues for the hospital and staff who assist with the private surgeries.
ottawacitizen | ona 

[02-27-23] Quebec labour tribunal orders nurses’ union to stop threatening mass resignation

Quebec’s Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT) issued a decision on Saturday ordering the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) to “stop encouraging and inciting its members to resign en bloc.” The CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec had recently announced changes to nurses’ work schedules, including the requirement to work certain weekend shifts. In response, the FIQ informed the CIUSSS that, if it did not back down, 500 nurses intended to resign en masse on February 27. The FIQ argued before the tribunal that the resignation of employees is a right to privacy protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The ALT, however, found that the planned action was more akin to a “disguised strike” and that “the resignations were not individual in the sense alleged since they derived their intended effect from being given en masse.”
montreal.ctvnews | thestar

[02-24-23] Five provinces sign health deal but specific targets, timelines still to come

On Thursday, the federal government formally reached agreements in principle on health care funding with Ontario and all four Atlantic provinces. Access to $46 billion in “new” funds offered by the federal government depends on each province or territory agreeing to Ottawa’s conditions, including upgrading health-care data systems, recruitment and retention, mental health, and targeting funding to primary care. Of these, $2 billion will be issued as a one-time top-up to the annual Canada Health Transfer by the end of March, $17 billion will increase the federal transfer over the next 10 years, and $25 billion will be set aside for bilateral agreements on specific priorities. The agreements signed on Thursday will ensure that Ontario will receive $8.4 billion for its bilateral agreement, while Nova Scotia will get $1 billion, New Brunswick $900 million, Newfoundland $749 million, and P.E.I. $288 million. The government expects more agreements to be signed with some of the remaining provinces and territories next week.
thecanadianpressnews | atlantic.ctvnews | canada | theglobeandmail | tvo | cbc

[02-23-23] Ontario hospitals optimistic health-reform bill will prevent drain of workers

Anthony Dale, CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), said that Bill 60, tabled on Tuesday, addressed the top concern for the province’s hospitals—losing doctors, nurses, and other staff to private surgical clinics—and that the OHA is satisfied with the protections written into the legislation. Pursuant to the bill, clinics must provide a detailed staffing plan “to protect the stability of doctors, nurses and other health-care workers at public hospitals.” Furthermore, physicians at these clinics must maintain hospital privileges. Privileges, Dale explains, ensure the stable operation of hospitals by making doctors in private clinics “accountable to a hospital” and requires them to become a part of “its regular on-call team.”
thestar

[02-22-23] Ontario tables health bill that would shift surgeries to private clinics

Bill 60, entitled “Your Health Act, 2023,” was tabled by Ontario’s Health Minister Sylvia Jones on Tuesday. If passed, the Bill will allow private clinics to offer some publicly funded surgeries and procedures. As part of the legislation, prospective clinics would be required to submit a “detailed staffing model” in order to “protect the stability of doctors, nurses and other health-care workers at public hospitals and other health-care settings.” The bill would also require all physicians working at those clinics to have hospital privileges. Furthermore, the bill includes “as of right” rules, which enable health care workers registered in other provinces and territories to practice in Ontario without first registering with the province’s regulatory colleges.
theglobeandmail | bill 60 | globalnews | news.ontario

[02-21-23] Doctors in Atlantic Canada will soon be able to work in any of the four provinces

The new Atlantic Physician Register was announced following a meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers on Monday. The registry, which is expected to be in operation by May 1, will allow doctors licensed in any of the four Atlantic provinces to work anywhere in the region without fulfilling additional licensing requirements. Under the new system, doctors who opt in to the registry when they renew their provincial licence will be given an “Atlantic licence.” P.E.I. Premier Dennis King said the goal of the registry is to “improve mobility within the region and cut down on the unnecessary red tape and administrative burdens for physicians who want to work within the region.”
cbc | cap-cpma | globalnews | vocm | thestar | atlantic.ctvnews | saltwire | theglobeandmail

[02-21-23] Manitoba announces funding for nurse recruitment, retention initiatives

In accordance with its Health Human Resource Action Plan, the government of Manitoba announced that it will invest $123 million in nine initiatives to retain and recruit nurses. The incentives include:

  • a new hourly premium for nurses who work on weekends
  • a new annual payment for nurses who hold the equivalent of a full-time position
  • reimbursement of professional licensing fees
  • an annual incentive for nurses who are eligible to retire but choose to remain in the workforce, up to an additional two years
  • an incentive for nurses who choose to return to the profession
  • a new “refer-a-nurse” program for current nurses who refer a prospective nurse to a Manitoba employer
  • a provincial float pool to support nurse staffing needs across the province
  • a travel nurse incentive to provide an additional hourly premium for nurses who travel to work in remote locations
  • a wellness incentive

The government is also consulting with stakeholders, including the Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU), to design additional programs to support the well-being of nurses, including mentorship and peer support. MNU president Darlene Jackson calls the announcement a “very necessary and positive step” toward addressing recruitment and retention issues in the province.
globalnews (video) | globalnews (video) | winnipegfreepress | winnipeg.ctvnews| globalnews | cbc | news.gov.mb

[02-21-23] Ford government criticized for proposing a change to how elderly residents get medicine

Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care tabled a proposal to amend Regulation 246/22 under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. One of the proposed amendments is to “provide that a personal support worker who has received training in the administration of drugs and who has been authorized by a member of the registered nursing staff may administer drugs to residents where it is not a controlled act.” Liberal MPP Dr. Adil Shamji calls the proposal “an acknowledgment of the dire straits of our health human resources particularly as it relates to the dramatic, severe shortage of nurses.” While the proposed changes are supported by the Ontario Long-Term Care Association for their “flexibility,” they are opposed by the Ontario Nurses’ Association for ignoring “the standards that currently exist.” Bernie Robinson, interim president of ONA, maintains that the “real solution” is not to expand the scope of unregulated health-care professionals, but to “increase staffing levels across the board.” 
thestar | ontariocanada

[02-17-23] Alberta health minister promises $158M in budget to recruit front-line health staff

The province of Alberta announced that its 2023 budget, to be delivered on February 28, will provide $158 million towards the retention and recruitment of health care workers through its Health Workforce Strategy. Approximately $90 million will be used to strengthen programs to attract and retain rural physicians and another $29 million will be used to fulfil the government’s commitment to the Alberta Medical Association for underserviced rural and remote communities. Of the remaining amount, $7 million will be allocated to the recruitment of internationally trained nurses from the United States and United Kingdom and $1 million will be applied to the provincial Nurse Navigator program, which supports nurses immigrating to Canada. More initiatives will be announced soon by the province.
thestar | alberta | cbc | calgaryherald

[02-17-23] Ontario hospitals looking to cut staff costs, speed up work despite ongoing staffing crisis

According to a recent analysis by PressProgress, many Ontario hospitals continue to rely on “Lean” health human resource policies to track worker productivity despite the pandemic and the recent staffing crisis. Lean is a “just-in-time” system pioneered by the automotive industry to cut costs and improve production speed in factories and on assembly lines. International studies on the Lean approach have raised concerns about its effectiveness and have suggested it is “detrimental to patient care.” Angela Preocanin, Vice President of the Ontario Nurses’ Association, said that Lean is “highly inappropriate” in hospitals and that its principles “do not apply to the care of human beings.”
pressprogress

[02-16-23] Québec tables bill to limit the use of private health agencies

Québec’s Health Minister Christian Dubé introduced Bill 10 on Wednesday to eliminate the systematic use of private agencies in the province’s health and social services sector within the next three years. According to Bill 10, large urban areas will shift away from using private care providers by 2024, followed by mid-sized cities by 2025 and remote regions by 2026. Although Dubé said that the government aims to become the “employer of choice” and to free itself from its dependence on private agencies, critics have pointed out that the Bill lacks specificity and that it fails to address current working conditions, which they see as the crux of the issue.
montrealgazette | montreal.ctvnews | cbc | montreal.citynews | globalnews

[02-16-23] B.C. paramedics ratify new contract with over 96% support

Members of the Ambulance Paramedics of BC (APBC) have voted 96.1% in favour of a new three-year collective agreement with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC). Contract negotiations on behalf of 4,600 paramedics and emergency medical dispatchers began in October. The parties reached a tentative agreement with the help of mediator Vince Ready on January 6. The APBC says that the new agreement has addressed “foundational changes to wages, benefits, and staffing models” across the province. The agreement includes:

  • A flat increase of $0.25 per hour, plus a wage increase of 3.24% in the first year
  • A wage increase of 5.5% with a potential cost-of-living adjustment to a maximum of 6.75% in the second year
  • A wage increase of 2% with a potential cost-of-living adjustment to a maximum of 3% in the third year

The agreement also includes plans to improve on-call coverage and response times in rural and remote communities and makes provisions for Indigenous-specific anti racism initiatives. The parties further agreed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including a provincial working group, and the removal of gender-normative uniform rules.
bc.ctvnews | globalnews | apbc | heabc | cbc | vancouversun

[02-15-23] Temporary staffing agencies overcharging Ontario long-term care homes

AdvantAge Ontario, an association representing non-profit, municipal and hospital nursing homes, surveyed 100 of its long-term care homes across the province and found that, collectively, they are paying $6 million to nursing agencies monthly. The survey also found that 28% of RN positions, 16% of RPN positions, and 12% of PSW positions were unfilled every day, creating a “huge” demand for temporary staff. AdvantAge is urging the province to devise a “comprehensive health human resources strategy” that puts restrictions on the hourly rates charged by nursing agencies. Currently, the average hourly wage for a temporary RN is $88, which is more than double the average public sector wage. The situation is particularly acute in northern and rural Ontario, where agency rates are 30% higher than in urban homes.
thecanadianpressnews | advantageontario | cbc | thestar

[02-15-23] P.E.I. paramedic union, Island EMS have reached a tentative agreement

CUPE Local 3324, representative of 189 paramedics, announced a tentative agreement with Island EMS on Monday. The previous contract between the parties expired on December 31, 2022. Jason Woodbury, CUPE Local 3324 president, said that the retention of paramedics in the province was a priority for the union and that the negotiations “focused on competitive wages to try to keep” its members practicing on the Island. He further reports that the current agreement, which was reached “at the table” and without conciliation, accomplished these goals and that it is “fair and respectful” to its members. The union will present the agreement to its members and ratification is expected to be completed by the end of March.
saltwire | cbc

[02-14-23] Premiers accept Justin Trudeau’s health-care funding offer, move on to individual deals

On Monday, Canada’s premiers agreed to accept the federal government’s offer of $46.2 billion in new health care funding over 10 years. Negotiations for bilateral agreements have already begun with Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, and additional negotiations between the federal government and the remaining provinces and territories are set to open immediately. Heather Stefanson, Manitoba premier and chair of the Council of the Federation, stated that, while the federal government’s offer is a “step in the right direction,” it does not deal with “long-term sustainability of health-care funding challenges” faced by the provinces and territories. She further notes that premiers “will be writing to the prime minister to talk about and to address some of those issues.”
cbc | torontostar | thecanadianpressnews | theglobeandmail

[02-14-23] Manitoba government extends clinic hours, adds 80 physician training seats 
 
As part of its Health Human Resource Action Plan, the Manitoba government announced a series of new measures to help address doctor shortages in the province. Effective February 1, family medicine and pediatric clinics offering extended hours will be able to bill the government at a 20% premium for the additional hours. The higher rate applies for 6 a.m. – 8 a.m and 5 p.m. – midnight on weekdays and 7 a.m. – midnight on weekends and other recognized holidays. The government will also provide funding for 40 new undergraduate physician training seats, 10 seats in the one-year international medical graduate program, and 30 seats in the two-year postgraduate medical education program for internationally educated medical students. Finally, the government will be contributing $450,000 to the Physician Peer Support program run by Doctors Manitoba which is designed to help doctors manage stress, burnout, and take care of their mental health.
globalnews | cbc | news release | winnipeg.ctvnews | winnipegfreepress

[02-14-23] Alberta to boost student aid, classroom seats for foreign nurses

The province of Alberta has announced that it will invest $7.8 million annually in financial assistance for internationally educated nurses (IENs).  Starting in the 2023-24 academic year, eligible IENs will be able to access up to $30,000 over five years to offset the costs of bridging programs, tuition, and living expenses. Recipients will be required to complete a year of nursing service in Alberta for every $6,000 disbursed. The Alberta government will also invest $7.3 million over three years to facilitate the transition of IENs into the province’s healthcare system by creating more than 600 new seats in nurse bridging programs at Mount Royal University, Bow Valley College, and NorQuest College.
calgaryherald | calgary.ctvnews | news release | thestar

[02-13-23] Nurses join travel nursing agencies for more flexibility, higher pay

Nova Scotia Health (NSH) spent $8.89 million on travel nurses in the 2021-22 fiscal year, and has already spent $16.3 million between April 1 and December 31, 2022 as more nurses migrate to travel nursing agencies. Many nurses report that they are paid at least twice the public-sector wage and are able to take unlimited time off between contracts in the private sector. Hugh Gillis, vice-president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, said the NSH needs to address recruitment and retention issues in order to keep nurses on staff. Janet Hazelton, president of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union, calls it a “vicious cycle,” noting that federal and provincial governments need to address the shortages “as provinces poach nurses from each other.” Currently there are 1,024 vacant nursing positions in Nova Scotia.
cbc

[02-13-23] Calls are growing for a national medical licence. But some experts say it could create a more transient work force

The Globe and Mail reports that one of the federal government’s demands in return for additional funding is that premiers reduce regulatory barriers for medical professionals across provincial boundaries. Support for licensing reform is already gaining momentum, with Atlantic Canada soon announcing a regional licensing system for physicians, British Columbia revising by-laws to allow for multi-jurisdictional registration for nurses, and Ontario allowing Canadian health care workers licensed in other provinces to start practicing immediately. However, some health care policy experts have cautioned against making these changes too quickly as they could create a more “transient workforce,” posing further challenges to retention, and give richer provinces an advantage in attracting health care professionals.
theglobeandmail

[02-10-23] Santa Cabrini pilot project to be extended to all Québec hospitals

In order to reduce pressure on emergency departments, a pilot project that began at Montreal’s Santa Cabrini Hospital in late January will soon be extended to all hospitals in Québec. Under the pilot project, patients will be assessed at ER entryways by a nurse and a hospital administrator specializing in health care services available in the region. Patients who are deemed to be non-urgent will be redirected to another nearby service. Over the past two weeks, the kiosk at Santa Cabrini has been redirecting, on a daily basis, between 25% and 50% of patients that sought to access its ER.
montrealgazette

[02-10-23] Ontario’s nurse practitioners say they need more funding to fill health-care gaps

According to the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO), there are currently only 25 nurse practitioner-led clinics in the province, and they exist mainly in rural Ontario where doctor shortages are more acute. Amanda Rainville, president of the NPAO, states that although there have been no applications for new NP-led clinics over the past few years, she hopes that last week’s “Your Health” announcement by the province will translate into more investments for such clinics. Currently the government allocates $46 million annually to support NP-led clinics and has committed to adding 150 educational seats to train new NPs. This investment in team-based health care is important in Rainville’s view because there are currently 1.8 million Ontarians without a family doctor, and that number is estimated to rise to 3 million by 2025.
cbc

[02-10-23] International nurse program prepped ahead of Philippines recruitment

Manitoba’s international nurse program, announced last year, will allow unlicensed international nurses (IENs) to work in the province while completing their registration. The program is currently being finalized and could be in place in time for the arrival of hundreds of new nurses that the government is hoping to recruit later this month from the Philippines. IENs who want to work while becoming licensed in the province will have to first complete an assessment and a re-entry course. The Manitoba Nurses Union is currently negotiating a memorandum of understanding with health-care employers to ensure that the IENs are treated fairly under this new program.
winnipegfreepress

[02-10-23] ‘A little bit’ of work left to do on health deal with feds, Ford says after meeting

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones met with federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc on Thursday to discuss Ottawa’s health-care funding offer. Before the meeting, Ford said that he was looking for more money for home care and long-term care, and longer financial commitments from the federal government. Later on Thursday, Ford described the meeting as “productive,” but said that there is still “a little bit” of work to do. He also plans to consult with the other premiers at a virtual meeting next Monday.
cbc

[02-09-23] Duclos to sit down with Ontario to negotiate bilateral health deal Thursday

Ontario will be the first province to meet with the federal government to work on a one-on-one agreement for new health-care funding. Premier Doug Ford said he would “push for more cash” during Thursday’s meeting, “but would never turn down new money,” which could amount to at least $74 billion over the next ten years. Ford and provincial Health Minister Sylvia Jones have raised concerns about timelines related to the funding, explaining that they “need certainty moving forward.” The province wants to ensure that these are “not short-term, one-and-done programs,” but that they provide “sustainability.” Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos hopes to conclude talks with Ontario in a few weeks.
theglobeandmail | cbc | thestar | qpbriefing

[02-09-23] Alberta government expands New Beginnings Bursary for nursing students

In 2022, the Alberta government created the New Beginnings Bursary to increase access to post-secondary education for students with financial constraints. On Wednesday, the province announced an additional $8.5 million investment to the program, which will provide 1,700 nursing students with a one-time, $5,000 bursary. The expansion of the program aims to make post-secondary education more affordable for nursing students and help train nurses to enter Alberta’s health-care sector. Recipients will be automatically chosen from student loan applicants who meet the eligibility criteria, and the additional funding will be available to students starting in the 2023-24 academic year.
globalnews | calgary.ctvnews | news release | calgaryherald

[02-08-23] Federal government’s health care funding offer to provinces and territories

The federal government announced that it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by $196.1 billion over 10 years, with $46.2 billion in new funding. This funding includes:

  • an immediate $2 billion Canada Health Transfer (CHT) top-up to address pressures on the health care system with a specific focus on pediatric hospitals, emergency rooms, and surgery wait times 
  • a 5% CHT guarantee for the next five years to be provided through annual top-up payments as required 
  • $25 billion over 10 years for individually-tailored bilateral deals that will support the needs of each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services, health workers and backlogs, mental health and substance use, and a modernized health system
  • $1.7 billion over five years in hourly wage increases for personal support worker recruitment and retention

The increase in CHT comes with the condition that provinces and territories improve how health information is collected, shared, used, and reported to Canadians to ensure transparency. To access the money offered through the bilateral agreements, provinces and territories will report on how the money will be spent and how results will be measured. Premiers responded that Trudeau’s health care funding announcement is “disappointing” and “significantly less” than what they were asking for.
thestar | theglobeandmail | cbc | ctvnews | news release | globalnews  | nationalpost | nationalnewswatch | clc | nursesunions | seiuhealthcare

[02-08-23] Paramedics in Windsor-Essex vote 100% in favour of strike action

Paramedics represented by CUPE Local 2974 are currently in contract negotiations with Windsor-Essex EMS. CUPE points to understaffing as a significant problem, and is calling on Windsor-Essex to invest more in retention and recruitment efforts. According to James Jovanovic, CUPE 2974 president, paramedics at Windsor-Essex have poorer working conditions and earn less than peers elsewhere. He also notes that the rate of burnout is a concern and that almost 40 paramedics are currently off work due to workplace injuries. On Monday, members of the bargaining unit voted 100% in favour of strike action in the event of a bargaining impasse.
cbc | news release

[02-07-23] Feds will increase annual health transfer and offer targeted funding with conditions

According to a senior government official, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will lay out a 10-year offer during his meeting with provincial and territorial premiers in Ottawa on Tuesday. The federal government is willing to increase the Canada Health Transfer significantly and provide additional funds to provinces and territories that agree to one-on-one deals targeting specific problem areas in health-care systems. One of the Ottawa’s key requests is that the provinces agree to common performance indicators and to the collection and sharing of data with other provinces and with Canadians. The government’s offer will be made public after it is given to the premiers on Tuesday.
thestar

[02-07-23] U.K. nurses, ambulance crews strike, straining health system

On Monday, tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers in the United Kingdom walked off the job in the largest strike in the 75-year history of the NHS. Nurses will walk out again on Tuesday, and ambulance staff, on Friday. Health workers say their wages have fallen in real terms over the last decade and are demanding raises to keep pace with inflation, which was measured at 10.5% in December. The government claims that giving pay increases to match inflation would cause more price rises, making interest rates and mortgage payments rise further. The Royal College of Nursing said that a “meaningful” pay offer could bring the 48-hour strike in England to a “swift close.” It added that it is willing to meet the government “halfway” between its initial ask of 5% above inflation and the government’s offer, but no agreement has been reached after weeks of talks. The Unite union representing ambulance workers reports that there were “no talks at any level whatsoever with the government” about members’ pay.
theglobeandmail | reuters | rcn

[02-06-23] Paramedics owed back pay after Bill 124 ruled unconstitutional

The collective agreement awarded in September 2021 between Unifor and Ornge, Ontario’s air ambulance service, included a wage re-opener clause to pay paramedics an additional 1% annually in 2020, 2021, and 2022 should Bill 124 be “repealed, amended, or rendered inoperative” within 5 years of the agreement. On November 29, 2022, Bill 124 was struck down by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. In an arbitration award dated February 1, 2023, Arbitrator William Kaplan ruled that Ornge must give its paramedics the retroactive pay. Kaplan notes that employees “should not have to await the eventual judgment of the courts . . . when their collective agreement contains a provision that embodies their specific memorialized agreement about what would happen” should the Bill be rendered “inoperative.” Kaplan further states that if the lower court decision regarding Bill 124 is overturned, “there would be nothing stopping the employer from recouping this overpayment.” Ornge was directed to pay the amounts owing to all current and former employees within 30 days.
news release | thestar | canlii

[02-06-23] Manitoba Government reducing administrative burdens to enable doctors to strengthen focus on delivering care

As one of the initiatives set out under its Health Human Resources Action Plan, the Manitoba government is launching a joint task force with Doctors Manitoba to reduce “unnecessary administrative burdens” faced by physicians. The goal of this initiative is to improve patient care and support the retention of doctors in the province. The task force, which is set to begin its work immediately, will identify unnecessary administrative burdens placed on physicians, set measurable goals, work with relevant organizations to streamline or eliminate these burdens, and provide guidance to avoid creating such burdens in the future. Dr. Candace Bradshaw, president of Doctors Manitoba, believes the initiative will “help to reduce physician burnout and free up physicians to spend more time with . . . patients.”
news release | globalnews (video) | globalnews | winnipegfreepress | winnipegsun | cbc | winnipeg.ctvnews

[02-03-23] Ontario releases new health-care plan

On Thursday, Ontario released a new health-care plan laying out a series of initiatives under three pillars. Pillar 1, “Right Care in the Right Place,” reiterates the expanded scope of practice for pharmacists, allocates longer family doctor appointments for patients requiring specialized care, and expands team-based care through Ontario Health Teams. Pillar 2, “Faster Access to Care,” gives paramedics more flexibility to treat people during emergency calls. Pillar 3, “Hiring More Health Care Workers,” adds 160 undergraduate seats and 295 postgraduate positions at medical schools over the next five years and expands the “Learn and Stay” grant, which will be open to approximately 2,500 eligible post-secondary students starting this spring. The province further instated the “As of Right” rule that eliminates the registration requirement for out-of-province health care workers. 
news release | durhamradionews | toronto.citynews | cp24

[02-03-23] Registered nurses to help with low-severity, non-urgent EMS calls in Alberta

Alberta’s Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that a new EMS-811 Shared Response team will transfer non-urgent calls to a “dedicated team” of nurses, while urgent calls will continue to receive an ambulance response. When an emergency communications officer assesses that a patient’s situation is best handled with alternate levels of care, they will transfer the call directly to a team of RNs at 811. The RNs will continue to assess the patient as well as the situation to identify appropriate care options. With the introduction of the EMS-811 Shared Response team, the province expects it will avoid about 40,000 non-emergency responses each year.
calgaryherald | news release | globalnews

[02-03-23] Saskatchewan to introduce expanded roles for pharmacists, nurse practitioners and paramedics

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health will soon begin consultations with regulatory bodies, unions, associations, and other stakeholders to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and advanced care paramedics. Examples of possible changes to the scopes of practice could include allowing paramedics to stitch minor wounds or cuts on location, allowing nurse practitioners to admit and discharge patients in hospitals, and giving pharmacists the ability to prescribe independently. These consultations “will inform any legislative, regulatory, or bylaw amendments that may be needed to allow” members of these three professions “to expand or optimize the services they can currently provide.”
cbc | globalnews | news release | leaderpost

[02-02-23] B.C. health-care workers at ‘breaking point’ seeking mental help in growing numbers

Since the start of the pandemic, the Doctors of BC’s confidential help-line has experienced a 30% increase in calls and the Physician Health program has 1,000 open files at any given time, treating 1 in 20 of the province’s resident, practicing, or retired doctors. Dr. Anne Nguyen, a consultant in the program, notes that the suicide rate of physicians has currently surpassed that of dentists. Similarly, according to the latest Worksafe BC data, nurses and paramedics had “the highest number of approved claims for mental disorders” as of 2021. The BC Nurses’ Union reports that members are often forced to wait months for one-on-one psychological support and that some have been “so traumatized” by the difficult situations they face that they have not been able to return to work for months or years.
bc.ctvnews

[02-02-23] B.C. launches new payment model for family doctors

As part of B.C.’s Health Human Resources strategy, a new longitudinal family physician (LFP) payment model for family doctors came into effect on Wednesday. This framework allows physicians to opt out of the current fee-for-service model, which pays a flat rate of $30 per patient visit, in favour of a model that calculates compensation based on the number of patients a doctor sees on a daily basis, the “size and the complexity” of the patients’ panels, and the time spent providing direct and indirect clinical care and performing clinical administrative tasks. According to Minister of Health Adrian Dix, the model “addresses inequities in compensation, helping to attract and retain family physicians.”
cbc | news release | globalnews | theglobeandmail

[02-01-23] Québec’s efforts to hire nurses from abroad falling short

According to Québec’s Ministry of Health, there was a shortage of 5,500 nurses as of December 17, 2022. In response to the ongoing shortage, Minister of Health Christian Dubé proposed that the province look to recruit internationally. Over the past five years, however, Québec’s recruitment program has brought in between 359 and 399 international nurses per year, and only 145 nurses between September 1, 2022 and January 20, 2023. Once nurses are recruited, Québec must contend with the additional challenge of ensuring that they remain in the province, which, according to Fédération interprofessionelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) president Julie Bouchard, is far from guaranteed. She further notes that both salaries and working conditions need to be improved in the province in order to help with the issue of retention. Sylvain Brousseau, president of the Canadian Nurses Association, agrees that nurses’ working conditions must change radically in order to become more “humane,” but also raises the problem of “taking resources from countries where they themselves are in short supply.”
montreal.ctvnews

[02-01-23] Saskatchewan government announces more than $5.5M to create more training seats for future health-care workers

As part of its Health Human Resources Action Plan, Saskatchewan announced that it will invest $5.5 million to create more than 550 new post-secondary training seats in 18 health care training programs in the province. The programs marked for expansion include those that provide training for medical laboratory assistants, continuing care assistants, primary care paramedics, licensed practical nurses, pharmacy technicians, clinical psychologists, physical therapists, and mental health and addictions counsellors. The government will also secure additional seats for Saskatchewan students at institutions outside the province for specialized programs not available in Saskatchewan, including respiratory therapy, magnetic resonance imaging technology, diagnostic medical sonography, occupational therapy, electro-neurophysiology, cardiovascular perfusion, speech language pathology, and environmental public health. Saskatchewan further plans to offer loans, grants, bursaries, scholarships, and tax credits to students participating in these programs and to launch a public awareness campaign that will inform potential students about available programs and supports.
news release | cbc | saltwire | thestarphoenix | globalnews | saskatoon.ctvnews