Ontario Health Minister says investments now will address the need for more healthcare workers in the province.
Sylvia Jones addressed the question during a visit to Timmins, where she announced provincial funding for a new emergency department at the hospital in that northern Ontario community.
Jones says there are several initiatives aimed at attracting people to fields such as nursing and paramedics.
“We have a learn and stay program for paramedics in northern Ontario, as an example, that covers completely their schooling and their tuition books and costs,” says Jones.
Jones says the province also expanded space at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine to address the need for more doctors in the region.
The province has also taken steps to help internationally trained and educated healthcare professionals wanting to relocate to Ontario.
“Practice Ready Ontario is a program specifically for internationally trained physicians, who, in exchange for a term of service in underserved areas, get their license and opportunity to train faster,” says Jones.
The Health Minister says she is also pleased with training programs that help existing healthcare workers wanting additional training to enter other areas.
Jones says she has seen how the programs are working and is confident in their future success.
“All of this together is really the short, medium and long-term goals of making sure that we have sufficient health human resources who want to practice, train and live in the province of Ontario.”
