AFHTO, AOHC and NPAO will be meeting with the Premier’s staff later this week in our continuing advocacy for sufficient funding to enable interprofessional primary care organizations to recruit and retain the staff needed to care for patients. So far we have had positive meetings with the political staff in the offices of the Minister of Health and Minister of Finance -- all seem to understand the situation and see our request as ‘reasonable’. The challenge of course, is finding funds in the face of many competing needs and demands.
The crisis in primary care is building. This morning we have sent a joint letter to the Health and Finance Ministers on this issue, following up on the letter we sent in January. Today’s letter was prompted by the recent developments in new NP positions for LTC facilities. Adding these to the new positions in Health Links and CCACs, we are seeing an exodus of NPs to better-compensated opportunities. While this morning’s letter illustrates the competitive crisis that has emerged for NPs, we are reinforcing the message about the critical need for competitive salaries for all primary care staff.
Please continue to send in your stories (click here to see previous message) and thank you to those who have already done so. These stories make the case personal and compelling.
Your support has been critical to this advocacy work – beginning with the surveys and input that lead to our joint report and recommendations. In the coming weeks we will be asking you to participate in pre-election advocacy in your ridings. As we promote the value delivered by interprofessional comprehensive primary care, one of the key messages is the need for funding capacity to recruit and retain staff. Before the end of March you will receive materials to help you at your local level.
