Coalition for Action for Health Workers

The Coalition for Action will inform immediate and longer-term solutions to address significant health workforce challenges. The Coalition’s initial priorities will include providing advice on workers’ retention so health workers continue to stay in their jobs; increasing the supply of health professionals in the country; improving health workforce data; and opportunities to scale new models of care to address key barriers.

The Coalition for Action for Health Workers was established by Health Canada and will report to the Deputy Minister of Health. The Coalition held its first meeting on November 1, 2022.

The Coalition for Action will inform immediate and longer-term solutions to address significant health workforce challenges. The Coalition's initial priorities will include providing advice on workers' retention so health workers continue to stay in their jobs; increasing the supply of health professionals in the country; improving health workforce data; and opportunities to scale new models of care to address key barriers.

More specifically, the Coalition will:

• provide a forum for discussion on complex issues related to health workforce planning and management.
• identify innovative approaches to driving pan-Canadian action on the health workforce;
• outline roles and responsibilities/authorities for key stakeholders and galvanize action in advancing pan-Canadian response on health workforce;
• allow stakeholders to prioritize resources within their own organizations to support current competing pressures to best respond to the needs of Canadians;
• take action to support equity and inclusion, including the needs of Indigenous people and racialized populations; and,
• identify opportunities and make recommendations to different levels of government on potential actions.

Given the complex range and number of key stakeholders involved in health workforce management, decision making experts were selected from key groups including professional organizations, educators, academia, thought leaders, public health, regulators, profession specific colleges, pan-Canadian health organizations, practicing professional and health care providers, patients, and organizations from equity seeking groups.

Members of the Coalition for Action for Health Workers include:

• Cynthia Baker, Executive Director, Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN)
• Dr. Mike Green, President, The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
• Sylvain Brousseau, RN PhD, President, Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)
• Paul-Émile Cloutier, President and CEO, HealthCareCAN
• Dr. David Gratzer, Physician and Attending Psychiatrist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
• Dr. Kathleen Ross, President, Canadian Medical Association (CMA)
• Dr. Ian Bowmer, Interim CEO, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (the College)
• Dr Constance LeBlanc, President and CEO of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)
• Dr. Patrick Rowe, Registrar and CEO of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC
• Dr. Vamini Selvanandan, Chair, Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA)
• Linda Silas, President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU)
• Sharleen Stewart, President, SEIU Healthcare
• Gail Tomblin Murphy, RN PhD, Vice-President of Research, Innovation and Discovery and Chief Nurse Executive, Nova-Scotia Health Authority
• Dr. Viren Naik, Executive Director and CEO, Medical Council of Canada (MCC)
• Dr. Marcia Anderson, President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada and Vice-Dean, Indigenous Health, Social Justice and Anti-Racism, University of Manitoba
• Michelle Hamilton-Page, Associate Faculty, School of Humanitarian Studies, Royal Roads University
• Teri Price, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Greg's Wings Projects
• Dr. Danielle Paes, Chief Pharmacist Officer, Canadian Pharmacists Association
• François Couillard, Chair, Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition
• Jodi Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Association for Long Term Care
• Pam Hubley, Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, University Health Network
• Dr. Gavin Parker, President, Society of Rural Physicians of Canada
• Kevin Smith, President, Paramedic Chiefs of Canada

The composition of Coalition members brings to the table a comprehensive understanding of the medical profession and ideas to address key barriers; awareness of challenges related to medical training and education; understanding of labour mobility challenges; lived experience to provide a valuable equity diversity and inclusion lens; and on-the-ground experience of health workforce challenges.

This list of Coalition Members may be updated to include additional members as necessary to ensure diversity in views, experience and expertise are well represented.

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Health Canada announces Coalition for Action for Health Workers