Public Consultations in Thunder Bay and Sudbury on Proposed Regulatory Changes for Ontario's Nurse Practitioners

    TORONTO, Nov. 6 /CNW/ - The Health Professions Regulatory Advisory
Council (HPRAC), an arm's-length agency of the Ontario government, is holding
public consultations on proposed regulatory changes for Nurse Practitioners in
Thunder Bay, Sudbury, and four other communities across the province.
    The first two public meetings took place in Ottawa and London in late
October. The next session is in Hamilton on November 8, followed by Thunder
Bay, November 13; Sudbury, November 14; and Toronto, November 20.
    In June 2007, Health and Long-Term Care Minister, the Honourable George
Smitherman, asked HPRAC to undertake a review of the scope of practice and
regulation of Extended Class Nurses under the Nursing Act, 1991.
    The proposed changes would permit nurse practitioners access to three new
controlled acts related to the treatment of fractures and dislocations, the
dispensing of drugs, and the application of energy such as ultrasound and
electricity for diagnostic and treatment purposes. The proposed regulations
would also remove restrictions on currently authorized controlled acts such as
communicating a diagnosis and prescribing drugs.
    In formulating its recommendations to the minister, HPRAC is inviting
members of the public and other interested parties to make oral presentations
at one of the public consultation sessions listed below.
    Participants wishing to make presentations should register one week in
advance on the HPRAC website, http://hprac.org/en/registration.asp, by email
at HPRACWebmaster@ontario.ca, by phone at (416) 326-1550 / 1 (888) 377-7746
(toll free) or by fax to (416) 326-1549.
    Those who do not wish to present are invited to make written submissions
by November 15, 2007, to HPRACSubmissions@ontario.ca or by mail at: Health
Professions Regulatory Advisory Council, 55 St. Clair Avenue West, Suite 806,
Toronto, ON, M4V 2Y7. All submissions will be posted on the HPRAC website.
    Additional information on this review and public consultations is
available on the HPRAC website, www.hprac.org under Current Ministerial
Referrals.

    
    Upcoming public consultations, which run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., will be
    held:

    November 8   Hamilton       Staybridge Suites (Holiday Inn), 118 Market
                                Street

    November 13  Thunder Bay    Travelodge Hotel Airlane, 698 W. Arthur
                                Street

    November 14  Sudbury        The Radisson Hotel, 85 St. Anne Road

    November 20  Toronto        Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen
                                Street W.
    

    The public consultations are open to the media.

    HPRAC is a provincial government agency whose mandate - under the
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 - is to provide advice to the Minister
of Health and Long- Term Care on matters related to the regulation of health
professions in Ontario.

    The minister relies on recommendations from HPRAC as a source of
information, analysis and advice in the formulation of public policy. In
providing its advice and conducting its affairs, HPRAC is independent of the
minister, the ministry, the regulatory colleges, regulated health professional
associations, and stakeholders who have an interest in issues on which advice
is provided.

For further information:

For further information: Barbara Sullivan, Chair, Health Professions
Regulatory Advisory Council, (416) 325-9010