Issues

For over a decade, Canadians have been dying at an increasing rate from opioid overdoses. Between January 2016 and December 2021, nearly 30,000 Canadians died from an opioid overdose. Ontario is not immune to this tragedy.

Chronic underfunding and understaffing across all health sectors in Ontario, and the relentless replacement of RNs and NPs with less qualified health-care workers, is challenging the effectiveness of RNs and NPs and the system as a whole.

A significant increase to the nurse practitioner workforce in Ontario is long overdue. RNAO’s "Vision for Tomorrow" report puts forward eight recommendations for expanding and supporting the supply of and use of NPs in Ontario.

More resources are needed for primary care, home and community care to decrease the number of patients in hospital. RNAO continues to call for an accessible, equitable, person-centred and publicly-funded health system.

The creation of conditions for all Ontarians' health and wellness depends in large part on how and how much the federal and provincial governments spend on health care and the social and environmental determinants of health.

An aging long-term care resident population with increasing medical complexity calls for increased care from staff with the right skill mix, yet Ontario continues to underfund and understaff homes. Residents and staff deserve better.