A Seat at the Table
CFPC Position Statement
February 8, 2023Family physicians are the backbone of the health care system and the first line of medical providers in primary care.
In 2020 the government of Alberta ended negotiations with the Alberta Medical Association and made unprecedented unilateral changes to health care spending that would significantly affect physicians’ practices, especially those in rural areas.* These changes were widely criticized, including by the CFPC, with physicians noting the changes would result in reduced access to care and harm patient outcomes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is one important example of why all levels of government must include family physicians’ expert voices in health care decision making.
While all health professions provide valuable services to their patients and the health care system as a whole, family physicians fill a unique leadership role. The House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Health (HESA) is due to release its report on the Health Human Workforce crisis in January 2023. The government would be well positioned to use the HESA ’s recommendations to work with provinces and territories to fulfil the Liberals’ 2021 election pledge to hire an additional 7,500 family doctors and other health care providers. As these changes are considered and implemented, it is imperative that family physicians and organizations representing them have a voice in all relevant discussions and decisions.
The CFPC will continue to advocate for family physician involvement in decision and policy making and create opportunities to ensure the voices of our more than 42,000 members are heard by government:
- In 2022 the CFPC testified to the HESA on two occasions (April 4th and May 9th) to discuss the health workforce crisis
- We submitted a briefing on Health Human Resources: Policy Recommendations to the HESA in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Nurses Association that addresses key concerns including the need for administrative support, funding mechanisms to mitigate provider burnout, and the need to scale virtual care
- In 2022 the CFPC submitted a pre-budget consultation to the federal government to recommend that funding be provided to address major health care issues such as access to care and the need for blended payment models
- The CFPC responded to the federal budget in real time, noting the areas where opportunities were missed to make improvements to the health care system
- We also submitted consultations and a response to the 2021 budget and recommendations for the 2020 Speech from the Throne
- In April and May of 2022 we met with MPs from all federal political parties to discuss the health workforce crisis and propose short- and long-term solutions to mitigate burnout and improve access to care
- We consistently work in collaboration with the provincial Chapters to ensure our advocacy is aligned on federal and provincial levels
- In 2022—thanks in part to national and provincial advocacy—the government of Prince Edward Island announced a $64 million commitment over five years to establish Patient’s Medical Homes and Patient’s Medical Neighbourhoods
- In cooperation with the Canadian Association of Social Workers, the Canadian Medical Association, and the Canadian Nurses Association, we have consistently advocated for a Primary Care Integration/Transition Fund to help establish comprehensive models of care
- The CFPC’s advocacy in this area has yielded significant funding commitments from the federal government in the 2019 and 2021 elections in support of primary care
- In 2019 the federal Liberal party adopted the CFPC’s three major advocacy points as part of their election platform: ensuring all in Canada have access to a family doctor, mental health services, and universal national pharmacare
- In 2021 the Liberal government pledged $3.2 billion to the provinces and territories to hire 7,500 family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners
- The CFPC’s advocacy in this area has yielded significant funding commitments from the federal government in the 2019 and 2021 elections in support of primary care
* While an agreement has now been reached between the government of Alberta and the Alberta Medical Association, the province did not have a deal in place for the previous two years, due to then health minister Tyler Shandro nullifying the existing agreement. The deal was reached after the Alberta Medical Association launched a lawsuit against the government.
