Federal Election 2021 – Strengthening health care
We are proud to represent Canada’s specialists who have been at the forefront of our country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Canada has made incredible strides in combatting this virus, our health care system is under more strain than ever. Health care workers are struggling from burnout and need support. Lifesaving medical procedures are backlogged. And many marginalized patients feel unwelcome and vulnerable in the health care system due to racism and discrimination. Now is the time to strengthen our health care system to ensure health care workers are protected and patients receive the highest quality care, no matter who they are and where they live.
The Royal College is asking all federal political parties to commit to four priority areas:
Invest in health care
Create a special emergency fund focused on surge capacity of provincial and territorial health care systems to
- address the backlog of screening, surgeries, cancer care and other treatments;
- ensure that teaching facilities can fulfil their educational and patient care mandates; and
- provide resources to long-term care facilities to provide quality and safe care to patients.
Enhance access to virtual care
- Increase access to reliable high-speed internet for all people in Canada, especially those in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
- Monitor, compile data and evaluate the outcomes related to the scaling up of virtual care across Canada.
- Collaborate with provincial and territorial governments to ensure virtual care meets the needs of patients and providers, and that virtual care services are fully integrated with in-person care.
Support physician wellness
Provide targeted, sustained new funding to provincial and territorial governments to
- remove existing barriers that prevent physicians from taking sick leave when they are affected by COVID-related physical/moral injuries, or require care and support; and
- support physician health programs and other existing well-being services for the health workforce.
Improve equity, diversity and inclusion in health care
Sustain investments in programs, policies and supports to
- increase the participation of Indigenous and marginalized individuals/groups in the health care system;
- work with Indigenous and marginalized communities to develop policies and supports to improve the health of their
- collaborate with health care partners at the provincial and territorial levels to address racism and discrimination in health care.
