Spotlight on Health Care: Ontario Election at a Glance - June 2018 Note: This document reflects feedback and public information available as of ...
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Spotlight on Health Care:
Ontario Election
at a Glance
June 2018
Note: This document reflects feedback and public information available as of May 22, 2018.
Any platform changes or announcements made after this date are not included in this document.
a
Keeping Ontario Healthy
In representing more than 13,500 family physician members, the Ontario College of
Family Physicians (OCFP) strives to ensure that the provincial government delivers on its
responsibility to maintain a strong health care system. The OCFP does this guided by its
mission: Supporting Ontario family physicians—through education, leadership, research,
and advocacy—in the delivery of high-quality health care.
This document summarizes the health care platforms or announcements of the three largest
political parties participating in the upcoming June 7, 2018, provincial election—the Ontario
Liberal Party (Liberals), the New Democratic Party of Ontario (NDP), and the Progressive
Conservative Party of Ontario (PCs)—and how each party plans to meet the needs of patients
and those who provide their care.
Recognizing that there is much discussion among many other organizations and health care
professionals about critical health system issues—such as wait times, hospital overcrowding,
long-term care bed shortages, and the ongoing matter of physician funding in binding
arbitration—this document focuses on five priority areas for family physicians as identified
by our national organization, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), and through
the OCFP and the CFPC’s member research. These areas, or health indicators, have been
featured consistently in other recent provincial election reports, such as those prepared for
BritishGREEN
Columbia and Manitoba:
YELLOW
• A family doctor for every Ontarian
RED
• Mental health and addiction care and access to services
YELLOW
YELLOW
• Equitable access to team-based care, based on the vision of the
Patient’s Medical Home (PMH)
• Rural and remote support
• The health of Indigenous people and other marginalized populations
1
Election Platforms
We sent a questionnaire to the Liberals, NDP, and PCs asking how each party plans to address our health
indicators. The PCs formally declined to complete the questionnaire. This document reflects the responses
we received directly from the Liberals and the NDP and any related public announcements the OCFP and
CFPC reviewed from the Liberals, NDP, and PCs.
Please refer to the Additional Readings and Resources section to read the full responses
the Liberals and the NDP provided.
Indicators
1
A Family Doctor for Every Ontarian
Recognition of primary care as the foundation of an effective
health system, and recognition of the essential and central
roles family doctors play in providing care and leading
needed transformation efforts.
Liberal Party New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party
The party notes it is working with The NDP emphasizes the importance The PCs have stated that they will
medical schools to increase the of working collaboratively with work with front-line doctors and
number of family medicine residency family doctors to improve the nurses to put forward better care
positions; partnering with more public’s access to primary care for Ontarians. No specific policy
than 155 Ontario communities to providers, enhance patient care, was provided by the party or
recruit new graduates; and, through and make it easier for Ontarians available publicly online.
the Action Plan for Health Care, to find family doctors. No specific
implementing programs such as policy was provided by the party or
Health Care Connect to improve available publicly online.
access to family doctors across the
province.
OCFP COMMENTARY
Family doctors are on the front lines of patient care and are central to an effective health system. There are currently
many Ontarians without access to family physicians, and many new family doctors have difficulty accessing
practice settings that include interprofessional health care providers similar to the models in which they trained. The
OCFP has advocated for the meaningful engagement and active participation of family physicians in health system
changes, and this includes the need to consider health human resources planning. Having more family doctors is
only part of the solution, and it is not so much a question of how many are practising but how they are practising.
Our members want to see recognition of and support for the vital roles they play in primary care and across the
health care system as a whole, and solutions that consider what their practices look like and the populations they
serve. Despite the challenging environment for family doctors, many have taken on system leadership roles across
Local Health Integration Networks and sub-regions to support health system planning and delivery.
This document reflects the responses we received directly from the Liberals and the NDP 2
and any related public announcements the OCFP and CFPC reviewed from the Liberals, NDP, and PCs.Indicators
2
Mental health and addiction care and access to services
Improved access to services and resources that enable primary care to better
support people living with mental health and substance use issues.
Liberal Party New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party
As announced in the 2018 Ontario The NDP plans to hire 2,200 new mental The PCs will invest $1.9 billion
Budget, the Liberals pledge to invest health care workers (including counsellors, over the next decade in mental
$2.1 billion over the next four years to social workers, case managers, system health and addiction supports and
address mental health and addiction navigators, and assertive community housing.
issues. The funding aims to create treatment staff). The party also plans to
additional services in the community, hire another 400 mental health workers
reduce wait times, and ensure that to ensure every high school has access
every primary care team is connected to mental health supports. The party will
to mental health supports for their invest in 30,000 new supportive housing
patients. As part of this plan every units over the next 10 years, building
secondary school will have access to at least 3,000 every year—the number
an additional mental health worker, recommended by the Ontario Mental
additional youth wellness hubs will be Health and Addictions Leadership Advisory
created, and publicly funded structured Council—and provide funding for ongoing
psychotherapy will be expanded. By rent supplements and support-staff costs. It
2021 a new helpline will offer mental will invest $228 million per year in capital
health services, addiction screening, funding, plus operational funding that will
crisis counselling, and referral services increase by $50 million per year.
online, by text, or by phone. The party
will also invest more than $222 million It will also invest $590 million over five
over three years to combat the opioid years to expand services and increase
crisis in Ontario. Among these staffing for care targeted to youth. Based
initiatives, the Liberals have established on recommendations from Children’s
an Opioid Emergency Task Force and Mental Health Ontario, the party believes
opened and expanded Rapid Access this will ensure every child who needs care
Addiction Medicine clinics. will get it within 30 days. The party will
uphold the province’s 2017 commitment
to devote $100 million to Ontario’s
dementia strategy over three years. These
investments will continue to expand
community dementia programs and respite
care services.
OCFP COMMENTARY
With our members citing pain management, addictions, and mental health as among the most pressing and
challenging clinical areas, it is encouraging to see the focus all parties have placed on these necessary and
overdue investments. In addition, we recognize the NDP’s focus on dementia—another challenging clinical area,
according to our physician members. The OCFP recommends that any new programs, services, and/or facilities be
well integrated with primary care rather than creating additional silos and fragmentation. Timely access to mental
health and addiction services, particularly for children and youth, is desperately needed. As well, all parties
should consider a stronger focus on early intervention, prevention, and mental wellness promotion, all supported
by interprofessional teams in primary care.
This document reflects the responses we received directly from the Liberals and the NDP 3
and any related public announcements the OCFP and CFPC reviewed from the Liberals, NDP, and PCs.Indicators
3
Equitable access to team-based care, based on the
vision of the Patient’s Medical Home (PMH)
Support for the PMH model, where every family practice offers the
medical care that Ontarians want: seamless, centred on individual
patients’ needs, provided within their community, throughout every stage of life, and
integrated with other health services.
Liberal Party New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party
The Liberals will invest $102 million The NDP will invest $42 million per The PCs look to cut wait times by
over three years to support the year to build and expand 35 new health opening new long-term care beds
expansion of interprofessional primary centres, such as Community Health across the province. They will invest
care teams. Additionally, the party will Centres and Family Health Teams. The in 15,000 new long-term care
invest approximately $330 million beds over five years and 30,000
party will also increase funding for
new beds over the next 10 years.
over three years to support the existing centres by $30 million.
The PCs will also implement a
recruitment and retention of health comprehensive dental care program
care professionals for primary care The NDP aims to create Canada’s for low-income seniors.
teams across the province, including first provincial universal pharmacare
in Aboriginal Health Access Centres program. It will also develop a program
and Family Health Teams. called Ontario Benefits to provide
workplace health benefits, starting with
The Liberals plan to create 30,000 dental coverage, to all workers who do
long-term care beds in 10 years, not currently have them. As well, the
including 5,000 new beds by 2022. party plans to provide publicly funded
dental coverage to seniors without
retiree benefits and to everyone on social
assistance.
The NDP will also create 40,000 more
long-term care beds, including 15,000
new beds over the next five years.
OCFP COMMENTARY
Currently, 75 per cent of Ontario’s family physicians practise in models that are not associated with Family
Health Teams or Community Health Centres. A more equitable distribution of interprofessional health care team
resources must be an area of focus to better meet population needs.
This is why the OCFP works collaboratively to advance initiatives that support the features of the PMH, such
as patient-centred care, team-based care, coordination, continuity, and comprehensiveness, so that family
physicians are better connected across primary care through coordinated networks of providers and supported
by appropriate infrastructure. Importantly, to better support the health of Ontario’s population, the PMH must be
connected with other parts of the health system, such as hospitals, long-term care, home and community care,
mental health and addiction services, and others.
This document reflects the responses we received directly from the Liberals and the NDP 4
and any related public announcements the OCFP and CFPC reviewed from the Liberals, NDP, and PCs.Indicators
4
Rural and remote support
Support for family physicians working in rural and remote settings
to ensure equitable access to care for the whole province.
Liberal Party New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party
The Liberals note there are still challenges Along with opening 2,000 The Conservatives will incentivize
to providing equitable access to health new hospital beds, the NDP doctors to practise in northern
care to remote communities, but the is committed to providing an communities by cutting their
government has taken steps to address this additional $1.2 billion this year provincial taxes down to as low as
issue. This includes introducing Family to protect and strengthen hospital zero per cent.
Health Teams in 2005, with 42 located in services—including in rural and
northern locations, two more primary care remote locations.
teams in the northeast, and eight expanded
teams across the north. In 2007 the Liberals The party will also create a New
established the HealthForceOntario Moms Guarantee. This is the NDP’s
Marketing and Recruitment Agency, which commitment to protect maternal
helps communities with the recruitment and newborn care services in all
and retention of physicians and the Ontario communities; prevent
promotion of career opportunities in cuts to and closures of women’s
places that need doctors. In addition, the health facilities, including in rural
2018 budget dedicated funding to the and remote locations; and expand
renovation and construction of educational access to maternal health services
facilities in Sudbury to accommodate space to meet the growing needs of
requirements for the Northern Ontario communities.
School of Medicine of Lakehead University
and Laurentian University.
The Liberals will also maintain support for
the Northern and Rural Recruitment and
Retention Initiative, which offers financial
incentives for physicians to establish
practices in rural and Northern Ontario
and supports telemedicine, mobile health
services, and language services to address
any language barriers between patients and
health care providers.
OCFP COMMENTARY
The OCFP recognizes the Liberals’ focus on supporting family doctors working in rural and remote locations,
including creating new health teams and expanding some of the existing health teams in the north. Both the
Liberals and PCs have initiatives designed to incentivize doctors to work in rural and remote locations. As part
of creating a sustainability of rural family physician resources, the OCFP would like to see investments directed
at developing innovative care models and better use of technology to support doctors in delivering care within
their own communities, and recommends a review of practice models and resource allocation for rural and
remote communities. The OCFP also acknowledges the important work that Health Quality Ontario has done
in creating the Northern Ontario Health Equity Strategy, which highlights the significant disparities that exist in
both health outcomes and health access across rural and remote Northern Ontario.
This document reflects the responses we received directly from the Liberals and the NDP 5
and any related public announcements the OCFP and CFPC reviewed from the Liberals, NDP, and PCs.Indicators
5
The health of Indigenous people
and other marginalized populations
In addition to rural and remote initiatives, support for improved access
to—and management within—primary care for vulnerable populations, such as
low-income patients, Indigenous populations, new immigrants and refugees, etc.
Liberal Party New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party
In 2016 the Liberals announced The NDP will double Ontario’s No specific policy was provided
Ontario’s First Nations Health Action investment in the First Nations by the party or available publicly
Plan, an investment of $222 million Health Action Plan, providing at least online.
over three years, which will be followed $209 million per year, starting in
by sustained funding of $104.5 million 2019. The doubled investment will
annually. This funding aims to address support initiatives such as health care
critical health inequities and improve programs designed and implemented
access to culturally appropriate health by First Nations; services that allow
care services. It includes expanding or communities to have access to a
introducing new Indigenous-governed doctor for more than just a few days
and community-driven interprofessional every month; measures to address
the challenges of recruiting and
primary care teams; training up to 1,000
retaining physicians and health care
health care workers living and working
workers, especially in northern and
in First Nations communities; providing
remote communities; and more home
funding for Indigenous health care and community care services and
organizations that offer palliative care; telemedicine options.
funding 34 Indigenous-led mental health
and wellness programs; and establishing Beyond First Nations communities,
or expanding 10 Indigenous-led Healing the party will also invest in new
and Treatment Centres. community-governed non-profit
health centres (as well as new satellite
The party also recognizes the locations for existing centres) in the 35
importance of improving service access regions that need them but do not yet
to other underserved populations, such have one. The NDP will also ensure
as racialized and refugee populations, that every resident has emergency room
LGBTQI2S people, and those who have access and care regardless of their
experienced gender-based violence. immigration or insurance status.
OCFP COMMENTARY
The OCFP recognizes and supports the work that dedicated family physicians are doing with Northern Ontario’s
Indigenous communities. The OCFP recognizes the importance of the commitment being made to support teams
that can work with physicians to meet the needs of Indigenous people in remote communities, particularly
for services that support mental health and addiction care. Support for physicians working with vulnerable
populations, such as immigrant and refugee populations and LGBTQ+ youth, is valued.
Work that is undertaken to support Indigenous, marginalized, and otherwise vulnerable populations has
substantial overlap with work in the other key indicator areas: access to family physicians, access to team-based
resources, access to mental health and addictions services, and support for rural and remote communities. As
these initiatives move forward, it will be critical to ensure that efforts are made to avoid siloes and fragmentation
of services or complicating care delivery for family physicians at the front lines of care delivery.
This document reflects the responses we received directly from the Liberals and the NDP 6
and any related public announcements the OCFP and CFPC reviewed from the Liberals, NDP, and PCs.Useful Links
How to vote
Election day is June 7, 2018.
There are many ways to vote in the general election:
• Vote in person before election day at your returning office between
May 10th and June 6th.
• Vote in person before election day at an advance voting location from
May 26th to May 30th.
• Vote in person on election day on June 7th at your assigned
voting location.
• Vote by special ballot either in person, by mail, by home visit,
or through the hospital program.
Where do I vote?
• Use the Voter Information Service to find the dates, times,
and locations for where you can vote.
Find your electoral district
• Ontario has 124 electoral districts. You can use the
Voter Information Service to find your electoral district.
• For information about your Member of Provincial Parliament please visit
the Legislative Assembly of Ontario website.
Who is my candidate?
• Find candidates in your electoral district through the
Voter Information Service.
• You can also use the Candidate Search tool to search for candidates
by name, party, or electoral district.
7Additional Readings and Resources
The Not A Second Longer campaign by the Ontario Medical Association intends to “spotlight one of
the major issues that burden the Ontario health care system—unacceptable wait times.” It is available
from: www.Notasecondlonger.ca.
The CBC Vote Compass Ontario, a tool political scientists designed to help Ontarians “stay up-to-
date on what the parties are saying” and how that lines up with their own positions, is available from:
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/vote-compass-ontario-2018-1.4654141.
The OCFP’s 2017 Membership Survey infographic, highlighting items such as their most challenging
clinical issues and the issues facing family physicians today, is available from: https://ocfp.on.ca/docs/
default-source/default-document-library/ocfp-infographic_round-1.pdf?sfvrsn=5e8df989_2.
The OCFP’s 2015 Evidence Brief: Preparing for a Devolved, Population-Based Approach to Primary
Care, which was developed based on published and grey documents and several key informant
interviews, is available from: www.ocfp.on.ca/docs/default-source/news-current-events/pbfm_
evidence_brief_oct2015_final-updated.pdf?sfvrsn=4091fa89_2.
New Democratic Party of Ontario response to OCFP questionnaire. May 3, 2018. Available
from: https://ocfp.on.ca/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ocfp_healthcare_leaders_
questionnaire_ndp.pdf?sfvrsn=7b96fa89_2.
Ontario Liberal Party response to OCFP questionnaire. May 3, 2018. Available from:
https://ocfp.on.ca/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ocfp_survey_liberal_response.
pdf?sfvrsn=b296fa89_2.
Advancing Rural Family Medicine: The Canadian Collaborative Taskforce. The Rural Road Map for
Action – Directions. Mississauga, ON: Advancing Rural Family Medicine: The Canadian Collaborative
Taskforce; 2017. Available from: http://www.cfpc.ca/uploadedFiles/Directories/Committees_List/
Rural%20Road%20Map%20Directions%20ENG.pdf.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Best Advice guides are resources that provide
practical advice on topics such as social determinants of health, patient-centred care, and
communities of practice. Guides, summaries, and more are available from:
http://patientsmedicalhome.ca/resources/best-advice-guides/.
College of Family Physicians of Canada. Patient’s Medical Home. 2018. Available from:
http://patientsmedicalhome.ca/.
College of Family Physicians of Canada. A Vision for Canada: The Patient’s Medical Home.
Mississauga, ON: College of Family Physicians of Canada; 2011. Available from: http://
patientsmedicalhome.ca/resources/resources-for-health-care-providers/2011-pmh-vision-paper/.
Elections Ontario. Resources. 2018. Available from: https://www.elections.on.ca/en/resource-centre.html.
Canada Health Act R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6. Ottawa, ON: Minister of Justice; 2017. Available from:
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-6/.
8We welcome questions or comments about this document at: ocfp@ocfp.on.ca
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