Political Action
OCFP Takes Political Action
The OCFP is focused on bringing urgently needed changes to help family doctors in their practice right now. We are at the table and advocating to the Ontario government on behalf of family doctors.
We know these are complex issues that will take time to solve, but action is needed now. We are looking for opportunities to ease the burden our members are facing as soon as possible.
Urgent action needed:
- Too much paperwork and overwhelming administrative tasks are causing burnout.
- Every family doctor, regardless of the payment model, must have access to team supports.
Putting Solutions Forward
We aren’t just talking about issues. The OCFP is putting solutions forward.
Through focus groups, surveys, interviews and Communities of Practice, the OCFP has listened to family doctors and created a Plan of Action, Solutions for Today: Ensuring Every Ontarian Has Access to a Family Physician. This plan has been submitted to government officials.
Our Plan of Action offers solutions that can be implemented now and others that are longer-term commitments.
Signals of Progress
We know we have mountains to move and that family doctors aren’t feeling relief in their practices, but we are starting to see signs of recognition of the issues in government due in part to OCFP advocacy.
- As a result of the advocacy efforts of OCFP and our partners – along with the pressing need for increased team support for family doctors as demonstrated through an Expression of Interest process – the Ontario Government announced that it is tripling its initial investment to support the expansion of interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario. The government will invest $90 million into new and expanded teams based on proposals that were submitted last year. An additional $20 million will go to support existing teams to help meet operational costs.
- Recently, Prime Minister Trudeau reinforced in the Federal Health Transfer negotiations that every Canadian should have access to a family doctor.
- The recent Ontario 2023 Budget stated that “primary care and family physicians are the foundation of the health care system.” You can read the statement that we issued in response to the government’s plan for healthcare.
It’s not enough.
But, it’s a first step in the right direction.
What’s Next?
The OCFP will not stop advocating until your remuneration, relief from the untenable amounts of unpaid administrative work, and your ability to care for patients within the full scope of your training have been realized. We want our members to achieve a work-life balance that brings meaning and fulfillment to your careers as you provide the most essential medical care to all Ontarians.
