Latest news with #CanadianNursesAssociation
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Nurses group hopes premiers' new sense of unity will lead to labour mobility
OTTAWA — The Canadian Nurses Association says it hopes the new "united Team Canada" approach at the Council of the Federation will lead to harmonization of nurses' licences across the country. The association was among a number of health-care advocacy groups at the recent annual meeting of Canada's premiers. While health care tends to take centre stage when the premiers meet, this year's gathering with Prime Minister Mark Carney was dominated by discussion of U.S. President Donald Trump's global trade war. The nurses association and the Canadian Medical Association have long urged the provinces and territories to ensure licences for doctors and nurses are recognized across the country. In a statement at the end of their meeting on Wednesday, the premiers said they will work on improving labour mobility where appropriate. But Katherine Fierlbeck, a Dalhousie University political scientist who focuses on health policy, says the provinces have been happy to poach one another's health workers, and that might make them reluctant to make it easier for people to move. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025. Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Advocates work to put health care on the radar as premiers meet in Ontario
OTTAWA — Health-care advocacy groups and associations representing doctors and nurses are in Ontario's cottage country this week, trying to ensure health care remains a top priority for premiers. The post-pandemic crisis in health care has taken centre stage at the Council of the Federation in recent years as premiers have pushed Ottawa for more funding. This year, there's a concern that staff shortages and long wait times will take a back seat as the premiers focus on trade and the economy. The Canadian Medical Association, which represents physicians, is focusing its message on the health-care system's footprint in the national economy. CMA president Dr. Margot Burnell says she will be stressing that healthy communities are essential to a healthy economy. The Canadian Nurses Association, meanwhile, is working to convince premiers to harmonize their licensing systems to break down interprovincial barriers to labour mobility. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025. Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
Cision Canada
18-06-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Canada Has a New Target for Safer Antipsychotic Use in Long-Term Care Homes Français
TORONTO, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - A new national target aims to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic use in Canada's long-term care (LTC) homes. Set at 15 per cent, the target aims to reduce the over-reliance of these medications for managing dementia-related behaviours without a diagnosis of psychosis. Currently, 24.5 per cent of LTC residents in Canada are prescribed antipsychotics potentially inappropriately—more than double the rate seen in the United States (10 per cent) and considerably higher than Australia (18 per cent) or Sweden (15 per cent). These medications come with serious risks, including stroke, pneumonia, falls, fractures, and even death. Achieving the 15 per cent target is estimated to result in 21,000 fewer people receiving potentially inappropriate antipsychotics across Canada, leading to substantial reductions in the likelihood of harm. The new national target was spearheaded by the Appropriate Use Coalition, a group of 11 national and provincial organizations committed to safer, more effective medication use in Canadian health care. It was created through a months-long consensus process by an independent panel of experts in LTC. "As a member of the representative expert panel, the Canadian Nurses Association recognizes the crucial role nursing professionals play in delivering safe, high-quality care in long-term care," says Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc, President of the Canadian Nurses Association. "This new target marks an important step forward in promoting person-centred approaches to care, where the leadership and expertise of nurses will be essential." In addition to the national target, the expert panel also recommends that homes with high rates of antipsychotic use aim to decrease utilization by 15 per cent year over year. The goal is to reduce use gradually and safely, avoiding abrupt changes that could create other safety concerns for residents. "In Canada, we've been working on reducing inappropriate antipsychotic use for a long time, but without clear and achievable objectives," says Dr. Wendy Levinson, co-chair of the Appropriate Use Coalition. "The establishment of the national target and annual improvement goal represents an exciting and potentially transformative moment in that decades-long pursuit of appropriate, safer care for patients." To support the new target, the Appropriate Use Coalition has launched a website ( to serve as the hub for data, programs, and resources to assist homes in achieving appropriate use of antipsychotics. "Bringing together organizations with strong expertise in quality improvement, evaluation, outreach, and research through the Coalition gives us a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change in our health system," says Dr. Emily McDonald, co-chair of the Appropriate Use Coalition. "Our shared work to reduce antipsychotic use in long-term care is just the beginning, a first step toward lasting and more appropriate care." About the Appropriate Use Coalition The Appropriate Use Coalition brings together 11 organizations that are working collectively to improve the appropriate prescribing and use of medications in Canada. Initially formed in 2023, the Appropriate Use Coalition is a grassroots group comprised of health care organizations and public representation that is committed to improving patient outcomes and reducing risks through appropriate prescribing. SOURCE Appropriate Use Coalition
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Canada Has a New Target for Safer Antipsychotic Use in Long-Term Care Homes
TORONTO, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - A new national target aims to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic use in Canada's long-term care (LTC) homes. Set at 15 per cent, the target aims to reduce the over-reliance of these medications for managing dementia-related behaviours without a diagnosis of psychosis. Currently, 24.5 per cent of LTC residents in Canada are prescribed antipsychotics potentially inappropriately—more than double the rate seen in the United States (10 per cent) and considerably higher than Australia (18 per cent) or Sweden (15 per cent). These medications come with serious risks, including stroke, pneumonia, falls, fractures, and even death. Achieving the 15 per cent target is estimated to result in 21,000 fewer people receiving potentially inappropriate antipsychotics across Canada, leading to substantial reductions in the likelihood of harm. The new national target was spearheaded by the Appropriate Use Coalition, a group of 11 national and provincial organizations committed to safer, more effective medication use in Canadian health care. It was created through a months-long consensus process by an independent panel of experts in LTC. "As a member of the representative expert panel, the Canadian Nurses Association recognizes the crucial role nursing professionals play in delivering safe, high-quality care in long-term care," says Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc, President of the Canadian Nurses Association. "This new target marks an important step forward in promoting person-centred approaches to care, where the leadership and expertise of nurses will be essential." In addition to the national target, the expert panel also recommends that homes with high rates of antipsychotic use aim to decrease utilization by 15 per cent year over year. The goal is to reduce use gradually and safely, avoiding abrupt changes that could create other safety concerns for residents. "In Canada, we've been working on reducing inappropriate antipsychotic use for a long time, but without clear and achievable objectives," says Dr. Wendy Levinson, co-chair of the Appropriate Use Coalition. "The establishment of the national target and annual improvement goal represents an exciting and potentially transformative moment in that decades-long pursuit of appropriate, safer care for patients." To support the new target, the Appropriate Use Coalition has launched a website ( to serve as the hub for data, programs, and resources to assist homes in achieving appropriate use of antipsychotics. "Bringing together organizations with strong expertise in quality improvement, evaluation, outreach, and research through the Coalition gives us a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change in our health system," says Dr. Emily McDonald, co-chair of the Appropriate Use Coalition. "Our shared work to reduce antipsychotic use in long-term care is just the beginning, a first step toward lasting and more appropriate care." About the Appropriate Use Coalition The Appropriate Use Coalition brings together 11 organizations that are working collectively to improve the appropriate prescribing and use of medications in Canada. Initially formed in 2023, the Appropriate Use Coalition is a grassroots group comprised of health care organizations and public representation that is committed to improving patient outcomes and reducing risks through appropriate prescribing. SOURCE Appropriate Use Coalition View original content: Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Winnipeg Free Press
01-05-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Here's what the Liberals promised for health care. But can they deliver?
TORONTO – Until U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and threats to Canadian sovereignty came along, many thought health care would be a key issue in the federal election. Instead, it came across as an after-thought to more immediate economic concerns that often hijacked campaign headlines. 'I can't recall an election in recent decades where less attention was given to health care,' said Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus in political science at the University of Toronto. Wiseman pegs the oversight to tense relations with the United States and the Trump administration, which he says 'eclipsed virtually all other issues except affordability.' Health issues are certainly no less pressing and the Liberals included several health-care pledges in their platform. Now that the party has been handed another mandate, here's what doctors, nurses and mental health experts say they're happy to see, and what is missing. MORE DOCTORS The Liberal platform promised to 'add thousands of new doctors to Canada's health care system' by working with the provinces and territories to increase medical school and residency spaces, with a special focus on primary care. This pledge comes as more than six million people across the country don't have a family doctor. Dr. Carrie Bernard, president of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, said more details are needed. 'Training and expansion needs to be supported through infrastructure,' said Bernard, who practises in Brampton, Ont. 'It can't just be seats for the family medicine resident. There needs to be funding for teachers. There need to be places to teach these people. So there needs to be a lot that goes along with the training spots.' The incoming government has also promised to streamline the process to recruit doctors from the United States and for internationally trained doctors and nurses to practise in Canada. Valerie Grdisa, CEO of the Canadian Nurses Association, said the government should also enlist nurses and nurse practitioners to cover the care gap, both in multidisciplinary teams alongside family doctors and on their own. After all, nurse practitioners, 'have prescriptive authority, diagnostic authority, they develop treatment plans,' Grdisa said. There's evidence from around the world 'that they have equal or better outcomes at lower cost' to physicians, she said. MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONALS The Liberals say they want to standardize forms and increase the use of digital tools — for tasks such as e-prescribing and e-referrals — to reduce the hours of paperwork and other administrative duties that doctors do on top of seeing patients. Although the health platform didn't specifically mention artificial intelligence, regulatory bodies in Ontario and British Columbia have provided guidelines on using AI scribes during medical appointments. Bernard said measures to reduce the administrative burden are important in making sure doctors want to stay in the profession. 'We want to keep family doctors practising comprehensive family medicine and that means making it a better environment,' she said. The Liberals also promise a 'new practice fund' to help new doctors pay for clinic space and medical equipment when they set up shop in communities where they're needed, another pledge Bernard applauded. The Liberals have also said they would create a national licensing system for physicians and doctors so they could work anywhere in the country — not just in the province or territory they wrote their exams in. The Conservatives made a similar promise in their campaign platform. But even with cross-party agreement, Wiseman is skeptical that the federal government can do it, because like most of health care, licensing falls under provincial jurisdiction. 'It can happen, but you try to get all the provinces on board with that,' he said. In fact, the main barrier to the Liberal government fulfilling most of their health-care promises won't be that they're a minority government, Wiseman said. It will be that the provinces and territories hold the majority of power in health-care decision making and would need to be in agreement. MORE MENTAL HEALTH CARE The Liberal platform promises a permanent 'Youth Mental Health Fund' to make community-based mental health services accessible to 100,000 young people a year. That's 'a very worthwhile objective, obviously, knowing that mental health can manifest itself early on in one's life and the earlier that they are treated the more likely (they'll have a) better outcome,' said Glenn Brimacombe, chair of the public affairs committee for the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health. The new government has also promised to add $500 million to the Emergency Treatment Fund, which goes to municipalities and Indigenous communities to deal with the toxic drug and overdose crisis. The Liberals also pledged to continue funding the 988 suicide crisis helpline, which launched in November 2023 and received more than 300,000 calls and texts in its first year, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The platform also recognized the link between housing and mental health, pledging to invest in not only affordable housing, but supportive housing for people who are vulnerable. Brimacombe, who is also the director of policy and public affairs at the Canadian Psychological Association, expressed hope that NDP members of Parliament will help the minority Liberals pass such measures, given 'a lot of alignment in terms of their two platforms.' Sarah Kennell, national director of public policy for the Canadian Mental Health Association, said she's feeling 'cautious optimism' for progress in mental health care delivery. But both Kennell and Brimacombe said the top priority should be public funds for mental health and substance use care under the Canada Health Act. Kennell noted that only services provided by hospitals or medical doctors — including family physicians and psychiatrists — are publicly funded under the act, leaving patients to pay for psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals out-of-pocket or through private health plans. Community based mental health agencies often have to rely on charitable donations or 'piecemeal funding,' she said. 'Many services like counselling and psychotherapy, addictions treatment, eating disorder treatments, all of those things fall outside of what's considered part of our public universal health-care system, and it's not part of provincial and territorial health plans,' she said. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Kennell said they want the Liberal government to take steps within their first 100 days in office toward amending the Canada Health Act or creating 'new parallel legislation that would put mental health on par with physical health.' It's a big-ticket item that wasn't in the Liberal party platform, but Kennell said the Liberal, Conservative, New Democrat and Green parties have expressed support for the idea. 'We held consultations with senior officials across party lines. And they … confirmed their strong desire to address the inequity between physical and mental health through legislative reform,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
