MPP Rickford Encouraged by Ontario Announcement to Hire 225 Additional Nurse Practitioners in Long-Term Care Sector
October 11, 2022
KENORA – The Ontario government is investing $57.6 million over the next three years to recruit and retain up to 225 additional nurse practitioners in the long-term care sector through the new Hiring More Nurse Practitioners (HMNP) for Long-Term Care program.
“We are mindful that recruitment and retention of human health resources is a sector wide challenge for long term care homes across Ontario, especially in the Northwest,” said Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora – Rainy River. “This is why our government is making targeted investments to create opportunities of growth and learning for long-term care staff, while improving health outcomes for residents. I encourage eligible long-term care homes in Kenora – Rainy River to participate in the call for applications.”
Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses who have an advanced university education and who may work in the long-term care sector as part of a health care team that develops, implements, and evaluates residents’ care plans. They also provide leadership and mentorship to other staff, enhancing their knowledge and ability to care for residents.
As part of the program, long-term care homes can request funding for eligible employment expenses – including salary, benefits, and overhead costs – for newly hired nurse practitioners. The funding also provides up to $5,000 in relocation support for nurse practitioners who are hired to work full-time in rural communities and who have agreed to provide a minimum of 12 months of service.
The HMNP initiative was announced as part of the Fall Economic Statement in 2021 and also highlighted in the government’s Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability & Recovery, releasedon August 18, 2022. This investment also supports the government’s Long-Term Care Staffing Plan, which was launched in 2020 and sets out actions to educate, train and help recruit tens of thousands of new health care staff through partnerships with professional associations, long-term care homes, and education and training providers, so that homes can provide an average of four hours of direct care per day to residents.
QUICK FACTS
- To strengthen long-term care and alternate levels of care, Ontario has invested $175.2 million to expand home care services and $117 million for sustainability of home care services, and $1 million to inter-facility transfer of medically stable patients in Northern Ontario.
- For 2022-23, the Ministry of Long-Term Care is funding the enrollment of 38 additional students into the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (PHCNP) program, starting in September 2022. The PHCNP is an advanced nursing education program offered through a partnership between nine Ontario universities and the Ministry of Health.
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