Madam Chair, as Madam Bax has indicated, the severity of the shortages was documented in the 2007 federal health care partnership study on the recruitment and retention of federal physicians and further revealed in a PCIS, a physician classification information survey, in 2008, which indicated that National Defence had a vacancy rate of 25% of their nursing positions, the correctional services had a vacancy rate of 35% in their psychology positions, and National Defence was, among its indeterminate public servants' positions, grappling with a 90% vacancy rate.
The FHP partner organizations have endeavoured to mitigate these shortages; however, these strategies, including third-party contracts, have led to a significant financial and administrative burden to the departments. As mentioned, the health human resource committee was stood up in July 2006 to develop clear and actionable recommendations that would address the federal physician shortage.
The committee tabled its report in March 2007, highlighting six recommendations: to increase compensation package and salary levels, to be competitive with provinces, territories, and the private sector; to develop an attraction program to attract medical graduates; to establish a partnership network; to focus on the overall change in government culture; to increase liability coverage; and to encourage continuing education.
Over the past three years, the federal health care partnership has moved forward on all six recommendations, including the standing up of a functional community office, the Office of Health Human Resources, in October 2008. The purpose of the office is to undertake horizontal initiatives on behalf of partner organizations and other implicated federal entities, including Transport Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and the Public Service Commission.
As its logic model indicates, the long-term objective of the federal health care partnership's Office of Health Human Resources is that the federal government be able to employ the optimal health care provider mix and number.
The OHHR has three key strategies. These are to develop activities to address health service occupational classification and compensation issues, demonstrate the federal government as an employer of choice, and facilitate communities of practice. The benefits of a collaborative approach include alignment with the Privy Council Office direction and with key documents, including the sixteenth annual report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada and the third report of the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Public Service, which speaks of the importance of facilitating collaborative recruitment, supporting functional community models, and strengthening the public service brand.
In addition, the community approach realizes economies of scale by collaborating on career marketing, learning and development, and enabling infrastructure.
The federal health care partnership office of OHHR is looking forward to continued collaboration with its federal partners and central agencies in addressing the federal health human resource challenges.
Thank you, Madam Chair.