Nurse Practitioners leading the way in connecting Ontarians with care

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - As Ontario continues to face pressing healthcare challenges, the Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO) is calling on both the provincial government and the Ontario public to recognize Nurse Practitioners (NPs) as essential health care leaders – exemplifying leadership capabilities, beyond practicing clinicians. Serving nearly 14 million Ontarians across the province, NPs are uniquely positioned to address healthcare gaps by connecting communities with timely, high-quality care and leading interprofessional teams across diverse settings.

"Ontario needs NPs. NPs have the clinical background, education, training, and expertise to take on leadership roles within the health care system and are particularly suited to lead interprofessional care teams across a broad range of health care settings, such as at Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics (NPLCs)" said Dr. Michelle Acorn, CEO of NPAO.

Our current healthcare system is struggling to cope with the overwhelming demand of health care needs, especially amongst vulnerable and underserved communities. Despite the clear benefits of improved integration of NPs into our healthcare system, there continues to be a lack of easily accessible funding mechanisms to support NPs and their ability to practice.

These funding gaps limit the number of public positions and practice settings available for NPs – exacerbating challenges for individuals seeking a primary care provider. Working closely with the Government of Ontario, Ministry of Health and the Dr. Jane Philpott Primary Care Action Team, NPAO continues to advocate for expanded, sustainable funding mechanisms to ensure that Ontarians have access to highly trained and skilled NPs in the settings they need most.

"Nurse Practitioners are ready and eager to strengthen Ontario's healthcare system, and we remain committed to collaborating with the Ministry of Health to ensure equitable, accessible care for all Ontarians," added Barbara Bailey, President of NPAO.

In line with highlighting the leadership of NPs, the 2025 NPAO Annual Conference will feature the autonomous and independent work of NPs in a variety of health care settings. NPAO is committed to continuing collaboration with the Ontario government and the Ministry of Health to remove systemic barriers and integrate NPs fully into Ontario's evolving healthcare landscape. With the right investments and support, NPs can play an even greater role in delivering timely, high-quality primary care across the province.

About: Established in 1973, NPAO works to represent Nurse Practitioners in primary, secondary, and tertiary health care settings in Ontario. As nurse practitioners working for nurse practitioners, NPAO strives to deliver exceptional health care for all, grounded in the belief that nurse practitioners make critical contributions to health care systems, and Ontarians' quality of life.

SOURCE Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett Hartley, [email protected], 416 903 7797