(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) EINPresswire/ -- As Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial Health Ministers meet in Calgary this week, the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada (NPAC-AIIPC) is urging governments to take decisive action to remove persistent barriers preventing Nurse Practitioners (NPs) from practicing to their full potential.

NPAC calls on Health Ministers to enact Pan-Canadian Licensure for Nurse Practitioners a measure that would immediately strengthen the healthcare workforce by allowing qualified NPs to move seamlessly across provinces and territories.

“Canadians deserve timely access to care, and NPs are ready to deliver it,” said Ellen Christie, President-Elect NPAC“. Pan-Canadian licensure would eliminate unnecessary red tape and ensure NPs can respond to workforce shortages wherever they arise from rural and remote communities to urban hospitals.”

In addition to regulatory reform, NPAC is calling for federal and provincial investment in Nurse Practitioner residency and fellowship programs to support specialty education and advanced clinical training in high-need areas such as primary care, emergency, and mental health.

“Canada cannot afford to leave this capacity untapped,” added Dr. Laura Housden, President NPAC.“Nurse Practitioners require access to structured, funded postgraduate programs similar to medical residencies to meet growing population needs in complex care settings.”

Finally, NPAC urges Health Ministers to modernize funding models to enable full utilization of NPs across all care environments, primary care, speciality care and acute care. Current funding structures limit access to NP services and prevent equitable deployment of these highly trained clinicians.

NPAC calls on governments to:

* Implement Pan-Canadian NP Licensure by 2026;
* Fund and launch NP Residency and Fellowship Programs nationwide; and
* Reform funding models to support NP services and team-based models of care.

“Every Canadian should have access to high-quality, timely, person-centred care,” said Dr. Laura Housden.“NPs are an integral part of the solution and It's time for governments to act.”

About the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada (NPAC-AIIPC)

The Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada is the national voice of Nurse Practitioners, representing NPs in every province and territory. NPAC advocates for evidence-based policy, education, and practice environments that enable NPs to deliver accessible, high-quality care to all Canadians.

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