Delayed Arbitration, Scope Expansion Concerns, and Advocacy in Action

Dear SGFP Members,

I hope you are enjoying the summer and taking some much needed time away. While we are disappointed with the news that the arbitration ruling is now delayed until the end of September, we have continued to advocate for our members by highlighting the ongoing crisis in family medicine to the public. This includes addressing issues such as compensation, the true costs of running a practice, unsustainable workloads, and increasing administrative burdens, which have led to 2.5 million Ontarians lacking a family doctor. Special thanks to SGFP Tariff Lead Dr. Salesh Budhoo for his insightful analysis of billings versus take-home pay. You can read the full article here.

Recently, the OMA announced they successfully paused the FFS Hard Cap change, originally set to transition to an individual level on April 1, 2025. This is great news for family doctors in or considering joining the FHO model, as the FFS Hard Cap will remain at the group level while the OMA and Ministry of Health (MOH) evaluate the implications of this change. We are pleased by OMA’s invitation to collaborate and address these key issues to improve family medicine, together.  

While we're pleased to share this positive development with you, we must also address the recent announcement by Health Minister Sylvia Jones regarding the expansion of pharmacists' scope of practice. This decision comes against ongoing challenges in healthcare coordination and integration. Despite the government's stated commitment to improving these aspects, it is perplexing that they are pursuing scope expansion for allied health providers without a cohesive vision for primary care and the necessary changes to ensure every Ontarian has a family physician.  This article offers solutions about ensuring family doctors have access to resources, including teams.  

Pharmacists play a crucial role in our healthcare system and are valuable members of many primary care teams. However, their contributions must be integrated and coordinated with comprehensive family medicine to maximize effectiveness.

Unfortunately, the government's current focus appears to be on quick wins through political gains with corporate pharmacy rather than on implementing strategies that truly improve Ontarians' health and the sustainability of our healthcare system. This approach neglects the importance of continuity of care, and emphasizes convenience which will not support the MOH or Ontario Health Teams’ pursuit of a better coordinated and connected health system.  

The SGFP is dedicated to shining a light on issues and offering solutions to the government. We are committed to advocating for the foundational role of family doctors in our healthcare system. We firmly believe that patients deserve access to comprehensive care led by family doctors and their teams, and we will continue to champion this cause.

Warm regards,

Dr. David Barber

Chair, Section on General and Family Practice