Health workers are the backbone of Canada's health care system. More than ever, there is a need to improve health workforce planning and to better share knowledge and experience to recruit and retain health workers across the country. The federal government, provinces and territories, and health care system partners recognize the need for a network that will bring together health workforce data experts to learn from each other in order to build a stronger and healthier workforce, ultimately leading to better patient care.
That is why the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada's Minister of Health, welcomed the establishment of Health Workforce Canada (HWC). HWC is a new, independent organization established by an Interim Steering Committee with support from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). The organization has been created as a stand-alone entity that will work closely with CIHI and all health care system stakeholders to improve the collection and sharing of health workforce data, and share practical solutions and innovative practices. To guide the work of this arms-length organization, an initial Board of Directors has been formed.
HWC will collaborate with health sector partners to advance approaches to current and future health workforce challenges by:
- identifying the sector's priority needs in support of perspectives and solutions, working in partnership with CIHI and others to facilitate access to data and information while respecting Indigenous data sovereignty;
- providing insights and guidance to inform effective policy for supply and distribution of the workforce, health equity-based planning, health and mental health of the workforce, and innovations in retention and recruitment; and
- gathering and sharing information on practical solutions and innovative practices to address key gaps and implementation challenges.
At the most recent Health Ministers' Meeting, the federal, provincial and territorial governments committed to take concrete actions to address health workforce challenges. This included the establishment of this centre of excellence, along with the increase in sharing and standardization of health workforce information.
The creation of HWC, along with the federal, provincial, and territorial commitments and ongoing collaborative work, will address the current lack of information about Canada's health workforce. Moving forward, these initiatives should help improve how information is collected, used and shared to aid health employers, authorities, and governments with better health workforce planning across the country.
Health Canada and CIHI have engaged broadly with partners including provinces, territories, and existing networks, about the important role that HWC can play to support improved workforce information and planning, including in a workshop held on November 23, 2023. As work progresses to stand up HWC, its networked model with the broader health sector, partners, as well as provinces and territories, will contribute to the development of its mission and strategic plan to better support all health workers across Canada.
