Orillia nurse practitioner-led clinic proposal awaits green light from province

The creators behind an Orillia nurse practitioner-led clinic proposal are anxiously awaiting approval from the province one year after bringing it forward.

Three nurse practitioners are trying to bring Ontario's 26th nurse practitioner-led clinic to Orillia and say momentum is building after recent talks with the province, but they have yet to find an agreement for funding.

"We're actively hopeful that we'll see some funding that will come shortly," said nurse practitioner Janet Greaves. "Recently, Health Minister Sylvia Jones said she has reconsidered and views it as an innovation, which is a positive step from where we were last year."

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Greaves is joined by nurse practitioners Nicole McDonald and Cathy Suppa in pushing for the funding agreement.

A location has already been chosen for when it is approved, a medical building located at 169 Front Street South, also known as The Common Roof.

The Common Roof in Orillia, Ont., is the proposed location for a nurse practitioner-led clinic. (CTV News/Christian D'Avino)

The three say the clinic is needed to ease the burden that Orillia is facing, with primary care at its tipping point in the city.

"There are 15,000 patients that are unattached, and there are six physicians that are set to retire this year and next year," said Nicole McDonald. "We can offer care in a similar way to a physician-led clinic. What is different is the economics. Nurse practitioners are a very cost-efficient way to provide primary care."

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Last week, nurses from the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) met at Queen's Park to review some of their requests for improving care in Ontario.

Part of that was discussing the approval for Orillia's clinic.

"I took away a lack of sense of urgency, which is concerning to us," said Dr. Doris Grinspun, RNAO CEO. "We were looking for the green light, we thought we would get the green light, and we are still waiting, and that's unacceptable to us."

A statement from the province said it has committed to adding 150 new education seats for nurse practitioners this year and has advanced the necessary steps to allow registered nurses to prescribe.

These are commended by Dr. Grinspun, as well as for a changing attitude when it comes to the clinic. However, the statement from the province did not directly mention the proposal in Orillia.

Meanwhile, should funding be approved, Greaves said they could realistically have the clinic operational within a few months.