Province Unveils Next Phase of Plan to Stay Open

Thursday, 18 August 2022 09:39

By Marcie Culbert

The Ford Government's plan to stabilize the healthcare system includes a promise to hire 6,000 more healthcare workers and free up 2,500 hospital beds.

ONTARIO - The Ford Government has announced a five-point plan in order to stabilize Ontario's health care system.

The Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery includes a promise to hire 6,000 more health care workers and free up 2,500 hospital beds.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones says this plan is a continuation of the Plan to Stay Open, which was first unveiled this past March.

"When we released our first Plan to Stay Open in March 2022, we made a promise to build an Ontario that is ready for the challenges of tomorrow because we can no longer accept the status quo. The second phase of our plan will provide the support our health system needs to address the urgent pressures of today while preparing for a potential winter surge so our province and economy can stay open."

The province is going to work with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to expedite the registration of doctors who decide to work in emergency rooms in rural and northern parts of Ontario. It's going to add 400 physician residents to those areas as well.

The province is also working with the College of Nurses of Ontario in order to temporarily cover the cost of examination, application, and registration fees for retired or internationally trained nurses.

The Ford Government has announced a $300,000 investment toward the province's surgical recovery strategy and all of the money will be spent this year.

The five points in the Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery are as follows:

- Preserving our Hospital Capacity
- Providing the Right Care in the Right Place
- Further Reducing Surgical Waitlists
- Easing Pressure on our Emergency Departments
- Further Expanding Ontario’s Health Workforce.

You can find more information online here.