Federal Election 2021: Strengthening Canada’s health care system
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada urges the federal parties and candidates to turn their attention to Canada’s beleaguered health care system this election.
“Our health care system and workers are under incredible strain due to the ongoing pressures of the pandemic,” says Dr. Susan Moffatt-Bruce, chief executive officer of the Royal College. “We owe it to health care workers to fix the system after they have been giving their all to battle COVID. Now is the time to commit to the right investments, and ensure we have long-term capacity and the resources to deliver quality patient care to all Canadians.”
The Royal College is asking all federal parties to commit to the following four priority areas:
- Invest in health care: create special funding to address the backlog in screenings and surgeries, and provide resources to long-term care facilities.
- Enhance access to virtual care: increase access to reliable high-speed internet across Canada so patients can participate in virtual care, and ensure virtual care services are fully integrated with in-person care.
- Support physician wellness: remove existing barriers that prevent physicians from taking sick leave when they are affected by COVID-related physical/moral injuries, or when they require care and support.
- Advance equity, diversity and inclusion in health care: partner with Indigenous and marginalized communities to increase their participation in health care, while collaborating with partners at the provincial and territorial levels to address racism and discrimination in health care.
Read more about our priority areas.
About the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the national professional association that pursues excellence in medical education, professional standards and building physician competence. We protect the health of Canadians by helping physicians build skills, knowledge and expertise through lifelong learning and continuing professional development. We accredit the university programs that train resident physicians for their specialty practices and we administer the examinations that residents must pass to become certified as specialists. In collaboration with health organizations and government agencies, the Royal College also plays a role in developing sound health policy in Canada. To find out more, please visit royalcollege.ca.
For media inquiries:
Melissa Nisbett, Communications Advisor
mnisbett@royalcollege.ca
613-218-9570
