Ford appoints Jane Philpott to lead Ontario’s primary care action team
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Dr. Jane Philpott to the rescue in Ontario? Former federal health minister to head primary care action team
“There’s no one I trust more than Dr. Philpott with her considerable experience to keep moving us forward and get us across the finish line of connecting everyone in the province to more convenient primary health care within the next five years… Doing so will have enormous benefits for people’s health and well being, as well as the province’s health care system by reducing pressures on emergency departments,” said Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones to The Globe and Mail, October 21, 2024
“Our goal will be for 100 per cent of Ontarians to be attached to a family doctor or nurse practitioner working in a publicly funded team, where they receive ongoing, comprehensive care,” stated an Ontario government media release, October 21, 2024
Internationally Trained Physicians necessary
“There is more to the healthcare crisis than only the failure to utilize ITPs. However, what remains true is that getting more competent doctors into the system quickly is a crucial part of the solution. . . Ultimately, though, even the best intentions still must be met with funding. . .For ITP advocacy to effect the change that is required — that is, to get more doctors to work helping Canadians — funding is essential. It’s now up to the federal government to fill that need, ”said Makini McGuire-Brown, Chair of the Board at Internationally Trained Physicians of Ontario, in the Toronto Star, October 15, 2024
Report says older patients, non-English speakers more likely to be harmed in hospital
“The goal of this report is to get folks thinking about equity as being a key dimension of the patient safety effort within a hospital (research shows when a health-care provider and a patient don’t speak the same language, the result can be the wrong test or procedure) . . . It’s fairly costly to the patient and it’s costly to the system. . . There are a variety of different reasons why we might start to think about patient safety, think about equity, as key interconnected dimensions of health-care quality.” — said Dana Riley, an author of the report and program lead on Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) population health team, Winnipeg Free Press, October 17, 2024
Despite projected surplus, long-term-care workers say patients at risk
“We are dealing with dealing with more than just low staff levels. We are facing racism, intimidation, reprisal, retaliation, harassment . . . When I tried to speak up, I was silenced by managers … Today I’m not silent anymore. I’m standing tall,” said Palma Clarke, Personal Support Worker (PSW) who works at city-owned Kipling Acres, to the Toronto Star, October 22 2024
Maybe there’s an app for that: Alberta premier wants to ‘uberize’ access to care
“The (United Conservative Party’s) ‘Uber-izing’ services with a full spectrum of available providers sounds like fancy language for the privatization of health care.”—said Alberta NDP Seniors Critic Lori Sigurdson, following an announcement by AB Premier Danielle Smith to replace the province’s online continuing care directory. “This government continues to pretend it is running a Fortune 500 company instead of a province. . .What Albertans need are more beds, higher staff-to-resident ratios, and more front-line home health-care providers backed by a fully-funded and publicly delivered health-care system without the undertone of generating profits,” added Curtis Jackson, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, which represents 62,000 healthcare workers, to the Calgary Herald, October 17, 2024
Pharmacare may improve medication access for patients needing psychiatric help
“People with serious physical illnesses already experience long delays in obtaining therapies, and it is no better for patients seeking psychiatric help, who have to routinely wait for more than a year. Outside of hospitals, medications are often not part of our health care system, but hopefully, this will change. The passage of Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act, may improve patients’ ability to afford medications,” said Dr. Hymie Anisman, professor in the department of neuroscience at Carleton University to the Hill Times, October 7, 2024
Manitoba health workers secure new contract that will help worker retention and recruitment
“Our members stuck together to get a really good deal that will help solve the healthcare staffing crisis. . . We have built an agreement that helps recruit new members and retain the ones we have,” sai Margaret Schroeder, president Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 204, in a news release, October 18, 2024
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