HPRAC to review nurse practitioners

Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council
News Release

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TORONTO - The Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC), an arm's-length agency of the Ontario government, will hold public consultations on proposed regulatory changes to the Extended Class Nurses (nurse practitioners) in six communities across the province between October 29 and November 20, 2007.

In June 2007, Health and Long-Term Care Minister, the Honourable George Smitherman asked HPRAC to undertake a review of the scope of practice and regulation of Extended Class Nurses under the Nursing Act, 1991.

The proposed changes would permit nurse practitioners access to three new controlled acts related to the treatment of fractures and dislocations, the dispensing of drugs, and the application of energy such as ultrasound and electricity for diagnostic and treatment purposes. The proposed regulations would also remove restrictions on currently authorized controlled acts such as communicating a diagnosis and prescribing drugs.

In formulating its recommendations to the minister, HPRAC is inviting members of the public and other interested parties to make oral presentations at one of the six public consultation sessions listed below.

Participants wishing to make presentations should register one week in advance on the HPRAC website, http://hprac.org/en/registration.asp, by email at [email protected], by phone at (416) 326-1550/1 (888) 377-7746 (toll free) or by fax to (416) 326-1549.

Those who do not wish to present are invited to make written submissions by November 15, 2007, to [email protected] or by mail at: Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council, 55 St. Clair Avenue West, Suite 806, Toronto, ON, M4V 2Y7. All submissions will be posted on the HPRAC website. Additional information on this review and public consultations is available on the HPRAC website, www.hprac.org under Current Ministerial Referrals.

The public consultations, which run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., will be held:

October 29 Ottawa Lord Elgin Hotel, 100 Elgin Street

October 30 London London Convention Centre, 300 York Street

November 8 Hamilton Staybridge Suites (Holiday Inn), 118 Market Street

November 13 Thunder Bay Travelodge Hotel Airlane, 698 W. Arthur Street

November 14 Sudbury The Radisson Hotel, 85 St. Anne Road

November 20 Toronto Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen Street W.

The public consultations are open to the media.

HPRAC is a provincial government agency whose mandate - under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 - is to provide advice to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on matters related to the regulation of health professions in Ontario.

The minister relies on recommendations from HPRAC as a source of information, analysis and advice in the formulation of public policy. In providing its advice and conducting its affairs, HPRAC is independent of the minister, the ministry, the regulatory colleges, regulated health professional associations, and stakeholders who have an interest in issues on which advice is provided.

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