Canada is facing a “health worker crisis,” short 89,995 doctors, nurses and other front line healthcare workers, a 2023 Department of Health memo warned.The document, titled Mandate Letter Appearance and obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter, noted medical staff shortages have increased universally across occupations. “Shortages have increased over the last few years across most health occupations,” the memo states. “In fact health occupations are the only ones to report a year-over-year rise in job vacancies in the second quarter of 2023.”“Nursing occupations in particular saw vacancy rates increase steadily through the years leading up to and throughout the pandemic,” said the memo, counting vacancies totaling 89,995 in 2023. The number is double the rate from 2020, including 29,655 registered nurses and 13,560 licensed practical nurses.“Nursing in particular struggles with long term vacancies,” the document said, citing Mental Health Commission of Canada surveys indicating 40% of health care workers “are burned out” and 50% “intend to leave the profession.”“While the supply of nurses is continuously increasing the growth is not enough to meet the demand,” said the memo. “In 2022 the total nursing supply in Canada was 466,014. From 2017 to 2022 the nursing supply increased 9%. A briefing note, Health Workforce Crisis, released just prior to the Mandate Letter Appearance memo on June 19, projected Canada’s national shortage of health care workers “is expected to get worse.”“The workforce could see a 16% loss in the nursing profession within the next year,” it said. “Canada’s health system is experiencing an unprecedented health workforce crisis.““High patient workloads, lack of resources, mandatory overtime and fear for personal safety have led to high levels of burnout, absences and turnover,” said the note. “The impacts reverberate across all areas of the health system including the closure of emergency rooms.”Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government’s promise to funnel $198.6 billion into a new ten-year funding plan for health care in its 2023 budget, the Health department said it is “concerned about the mental health and well-being of Canadians and of front-line workers who are working tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy.”“The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified many of the challenges facing the health workforce and it is well understood the path forward must address the root cause of the crisis,” said the note. “It will require transformative and innovative solutions.”On March 6, 2023, the Commons Health Committee released a report called Addressing Canada’s Health Workforce Crisis, where it estimated 4.6 million Canadians have no family doctor.“It is now predicted there will be a shortage of 117,600 nurses in Canada by 2030,” wrote the committee.
Canada is facing a “health worker crisis,” short 89,995 doctors, nurses and other front line healthcare workers, a 2023 Department of Health memo warned.The document, titled Mandate Letter Appearance and obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter, noted medical staff shortages have increased universally across occupations. “Shortages have increased over the last few years across most health occupations,” the memo states. “In fact health occupations are the only ones to report a year-over-year rise in job vacancies in the second quarter of 2023.”“Nursing occupations in particular saw vacancy rates increase steadily through the years leading up to and throughout the pandemic,” said the memo, counting vacancies totaling 89,995 in 2023. The number is double the rate from 2020, including 29,655 registered nurses and 13,560 licensed practical nurses.“Nursing in particular struggles with long term vacancies,” the document said, citing Mental Health Commission of Canada surveys indicating 40% of health care workers “are burned out” and 50% “intend to leave the profession.”“While the supply of nurses is continuously increasing the growth is not enough to meet the demand,” said the memo. “In 2022 the total nursing supply in Canada was 466,014. From 2017 to 2022 the nursing supply increased 9%. A briefing note, Health Workforce Crisis, released just prior to the Mandate Letter Appearance memo on June 19, projected Canada’s national shortage of health care workers “is expected to get worse.”“The workforce could see a 16% loss in the nursing profession within the next year,” it said. “Canada’s health system is experiencing an unprecedented health workforce crisis.““High patient workloads, lack of resources, mandatory overtime and fear for personal safety have led to high levels of burnout, absences and turnover,” said the note. “The impacts reverberate across all areas of the health system including the closure of emergency rooms.”Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government’s promise to funnel $198.6 billion into a new ten-year funding plan for health care in its 2023 budget, the Health department said it is “concerned about the mental health and well-being of Canadians and of front-line workers who are working tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy.”“The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified many of the challenges facing the health workforce and it is well understood the path forward must address the root cause of the crisis,” said the note. “It will require transformative and innovative solutions.”On March 6, 2023, the Commons Health Committee released a report called Addressing Canada’s Health Workforce Crisis, where it estimated 4.6 million Canadians have no family doctor.“It is now predicted there will be a shortage of 117,600 nurses in Canada by 2030,” wrote the committee.
