May 13, 2024
Nurse Practitioners are ready, where is the Ministry of Health?
QUEEN’S PARK – During Question Period this morning, NDP Health Critic France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) implored the Minister of Health to fully engage the provinces Nurse Practitioners in the Primary Care Crisis.
“Members of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Ontario came to Queen’s Park today. They came to share solutions with the Minister for the 2.3 million Ontarians without access to primary care. They are ready, willing and able to care for thousands of orphan patients. Unfortunately, although all 25 Nurse Practitioner Led Clinics are willing to help, they represent only 4 of the 78 teams announced by the Minister. Will the Minister listen to the solutions brought forward by the Nurse Practitioners Association, open positions for Nurse Practitioners and give Ontarians access to primary care.“
It has been reported widely that under employed Nurse Practitioners are opening private clinics to deliver care to Ontario residents without access to primary care.
“Nurse Practitioner scope of practice has finally increase so they can order diagnostic imaging and provide more treatments, they have taken on this extra work, these new responsibilities very successfully. Yet Nurse Practitioners working in primary care, in Long Term Care, in our correctional system have not seen a salary increase since this government took power. When will the Minister start showing respect for hard working Nurse Practitioners and at a minimum close the salary gap between hospitals and other health settings?”
Nurse practitioners have more training than registered nurses and can deliver high standard of primary care, including diagnosing and treating common conditions, referring to specialists and prescribing medication.