So why aren’t we making use of this important human resource?
By Linda Silas Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and Ivy Lynn Bourgeault University of Ottawa You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of nurse practitioners. Most Canadians haven’t – and most don’t know their value to our health-care system. You may be even more surprised to learn that nurse practitioners could be the innovative…
It’s not just about having more doctors. It’s time we used all the skills that the wide variety of health workers have to offer
Does Ontario have enough doctors? Surprisingly, the answer is: Yes, we may have enough doctors. How is this possible when many people don’t have a doctor, or wait days, weeks or even months for a medical appointment? We have more doctors than ever before, but many aren’t located where we need them and many aren’t…
There’s a significant lack of gender parity in health leadership positions. Pay equity and workplace safety must also be addressed
Sometimes an issue can be so pervasive that it’s rendered nearly invisible. Take for instance the gender of the health workforce. Women comprise 82 per cent of health workers in Canada, in contrast to 47 per cent in the total labour force. This surpasses the global rate of 70 per cent. From 1997 to 2016,…The health needs of seniors are getting more complicated as people live longer, and we need a workforce that can keep up
We know Canada’s population is aging. In 2015, the proportion of seniors surpassed that of youth under 15 for the first time. And the gap will continue to widen over the next 20 years. But who will look after them? There has been much discussion about how to prepare for this bulge of aging baby boomers.…
A new health accord must include the establishment of a dedicated health workforce agency
The growing talk of a new health care accord between the federal government and the provinces and territories is great news, but any accord won't be a success unless it includes the establishment of a dedicated health workforce agency in Canada. Such a workforce agency is a reality in pretty much every other country except…