14/05/2009

Ontario health-care professionals to get new powers under government bill

Nurses and Pharmacists may soon be granted new powers as part of a strategy to address the chronic shortage of doctors. On May 4, Premier Dalton McGuinty presented a new legislation that would allow pharmacists to write refills for prescriptions, nurse practitioners to set broken bones and physiotherapist to order X-rays and treat injuries.

According to Dalton McGuinty, the proposed changes will not only improve Ontario’s health-care system by making it more efficient and more accessible but  will also ‘‘free up doctors to do those kinds of things which only doctors can do’’.

Not only do these new responsibilities have the potential to decrease health care wait times they may also increase the rewards for health-care professionals who will be able to do more than they have in the past.

Many health care professionals were optimistic about the changes. The Ontario College of Pharmacists said it was “very pleased” with the proposed legislation and the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, called this bill ‘‘a good first step’’.

The goal of the legislation is to reduce the number of stops a patient must make as he or she navigates Ontario's health-care system. With the right training given to health-care professionals, many believe that this legislation can work safely in Ontario.

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