Registed Nurses' Association of Ontario

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Primary Solutions for Primary Care - Stakeholders’ Voices

“Nurses play an integral role in Ontario's health-care system. Our government is committed to ensuring our health-care providers, including our primary care nurses, are working to their full scope of practice. Working with our health-care providers, we have made tremendous progress in the advancement of primary health-care delivery and we look forward to continuing to make even further progress to realize the increased role our primary care nurses can provide to Ontarians.”
Hon. Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

“As the province faces a ballooning deficit and crippling debt, it’s critical that both government and stakeholders come together to find cost savings and innovative solutions. The RNAO’s expert panel Task Force has put some legitimate ideas on the table, now it’s up to the government to develop these ideas into good policies. Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives look forward to working with RNAO to make Ontario’s health care system strong and sustainable.”
Christine Elliott, MPP, Progressive Conservative Party

“Ontario’s New Democrats overwhelmingly support the recommendations in RNAO’s Primary Solutions for Primary Care report and feel that registered nurses and all other health professionals must be enabled to work to their full scope of practice across the health system. Expanding the scope of practice of RNs to include the ability to diagnose and treat common conditions will transform access and quality within primary care and across the health system. We call on the government to provide decisive action by promptly implementing all of the task force’s recommendations for the benefit of Ontarians and the health system.”
France Gelinas, MPP, New Democratic Party of Ontario

“Many reports, like the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services, have made recommendations to improve health care. But it is vital for those working in the sector to bring forward their ideas. It is wonderful to see the RNAO engage so thoughtfully with proposals to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of health care. The focus on scope of practice, including an expanded role for nurses, addresses an area the Commission believed holds considerable promise.”
Don Drummond, Chair, Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services

“The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is encouraged by this report, its recommendations and its emphasis on patient-centred care. This work underscores the important role interprofessional teams play in our publicly funded, not-for-profit health-care system. Having registered nurses and all other health professionals working to their full scope of practice in primary care teams produces better health outcomes, improves access to services, and will help sustain Medicare and strengthen it for future generations.”
Barb Mildon, President, Canadian Nurses Association

“The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) was very pleased to participate in RNAO’s Primary Care Nurse Task Force to respond to the gross under-utilization of thousands of nurses in Ontario’s primary care system. The task force’s solution-focused report addresses the key barriers to improving access to timely and quality care for Ontarians - and we urge government and employers to act now.”
Linda Haslam-Stroud, President, Ontario Nurses’ Association

“The Association of Ontario Health Centres (AOHC) believes the report of the Primary Care Nurse Task Force is a pivotal first step to ensuring that nurses and all members of the interprofessional team are fully utilized to deliver timely access to people and community-centred primary health care in Ontario. We are already acting on this report’s recommendations. The Association’s 73 Community Health Centres, 10 Aboriginal Health Access Centres and 15 Community Family Health Teams are working on a goal to ensure all health providers work to their full scope of practice within three years.”
Adrianna Tetley, Executive Director, Association of Ontario Health Centres

“Ontario's 200 Family Health Teams recognize the significant role of nurses in delivering team-based primary care to patients. The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) feels strongly that nurses and all health professionals must be supported to deliver the best value possible to Ontario’s patients. AFHTO was a proud member of this task force, and we commend the RNAO for assembling a wide group of stakeholders to examine the evidence and explore how our health system can reap the full benefit of the competencies, knowledge, and skills of our primary care nurses.”
Angie Heydon, Executive Director, Association of Ontario Family Health Teams

“Enabling all health care professionals to work to their full scope of practice is something the Ontario Hospital Association has long supported, so we welcome the RNAO’s report and will read it with interest. We also appreciate the importance of a focus on primary care, as the underpinning of a high-performing health system.”
Pat Campbell, President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association

“The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) applauds RNAO's leadership in bringing about clear and achievable recommendations for system transformation and enhancements. OCSA sees this groundbreaking report as a starting point to strengthen the ability of interprofessional teams and support staff to deliver accessible and high-quality care to Ontarians, while promoting health system effectiveness.”
Susan Thorning, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Community Support Association

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