Supporting nurse practitioners
By Chantelle de Jonge Chestermere-Strathmore MLA
The Government of Alberta recently announced the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program that will support nurse practitioners (NPs) to work independently and provide Albertans with more access to primary care clinics. Our government is committed to stabilizing, strengthening, and improving Alberta’s primary health care system. Every Albertan should be able to access primary care when and where they need it.
Through this program, NPs will receive approximately 80 per cent of the compensation provided to family physicians who provide comprehensive primary care. Compensation will be determined based on panel size (the number of patients an NP sees) and the number of patient care hours provided. The program will enable NPs to practice comprehensive patient care autonomously and operate their own practices, or to practice autonomously in existing primary care clinics.
Nurses are an integral part of the solution to improving access to primary health care services and finalizing this funding model is an exciting step forward in our journey to refocus health care in Alberta. To be eligible for compensation through the $15-million program, NPs must meet a number of requirements, including committing to provide medically necessary primary care services, having a panel size of at least 900 patients, providing after-hours access on weekends, evenings or holidays, and accepting walk-in appointments as they build a panel size of 900 patients. The minimum panel size of 900 is consistent with the British Columbia model.
Nurse practitioners interested in practicing through this program can now submit an expression of interest to Alberta Health. Each expression of interest will be evaluated, and NPs who meet the requirements will be sent an application form. The Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta will help NPs throughout the application process, recruit NPs to participate in the program, and support them as they plan to work independently in an existing practice or set up their own clinics.
To learn more, please visit alberta.ca/nurse-practitioner-primary-care-program
I am also pleased to share that in recognition of the invaluable role that sport and recreational facilities play in fostering community well-being and promoting an active lifestyle, Alberta’s Government announced an investment of $30 million in new funding for these facilities.
The new Active Communities Initiative will support recreational facilities in every corner of our province. It is intended to support small and mid-sized projects, including indoor and outdoor hockey arenas, community pools, indoor turf centres, pickle ball courts, sports fields and courts, and other sport and recreational facilities. Beginning May 2024, eligible organizations can submit an expression of interest before submitting a more detailed package during the second round of applications.
As always, please feel free to contact me with your feedback or concerns at Chesteremere.Strathmore@assembly.ab.ca.
(Chantelle de Jonge is the MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore and the Parliamentary Secretary for Affordability and Utilities)