Thank you, Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to appear before you today.
I'm Dr. Katharine Smart, and I'm speaking to you today from Ottawa on the unceded territory of the Algonquin and Anishinabe nations. I'm a pediatrician based in Yukon.
As president of the Canadian Medical Association, I am honoured to represent physicians and medical learners from all jurisdictions. Every one of us has felt the impacts of a health care system stretched beyond its capacity. For health workers, the pandemic has been unrelenting. Two years in, organizations representing health workers across the country are sounding the alarm. Canada's health care system is collapsing.
As the national organization representing physicians, we too are calling for action. Doctors [Technical difficulty—Editor] are experiencing.... Over 50% of physicians and medical learners reported high levels of burnout—30% compared with pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, nearly a half of physicians reported that they would likely reduce clinical hours. The shortage of colleagues to cope with current and future demands is nationwide.
As many Canadians are feeling that the loosening of health measures are signalling an emergence from the pandemic, the same cannot be said for health workers. Our health workforce is in the biggest crisis we've ever seen, and because of it Canada's health system is on life support.
[Technical difficulty—Editor] grateful for the federal government's integral role in the pandemic response, but it's not over. Health care workers are relying on the leadership of the federal government to support a way forward. By aiding medical professionals, you are helping every Canadian—now and in the future.
Last fall, the CMA and the Canadian Nurses Association co-hosted an emergency summit to learn from nearly 40 health organizations representing nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, personal support workers, psychologists and educational institutions. We knew then that we were collectively experiencing a human health resources—or HHR—crisis.
We recently met again, with close to 40 organizations representing health workers. What we heard is disheartening. Health workers are depleted and distressed. They're facing harassment, and leaving their careers and professions entirely.
The repercussions of this could be devastating in a country where already more than five million Canadians presently have no regular health care provider. Of those with a doctor, only 40% of patients could get an appointment within 48 hours, and 46% of physicians are considering reducing clinical hours over the next two years.
What we're learning is more than alarming; it's potentially catastrophic. Time is of the essence. More than a quarter of practising physicians claim low rates of overall mental health. Recent figures show that 20% of frontline health care workers have thought about suicide. A crushing 6% had planned an attempt.
To worsen matters, the barriers we've created over time for doctors and nurses practising in a new province or territory aren't helping to fill the 118,000 job vacancies in health care and social assistance across the country. It is why the current regulatory licensing frameworks need to move to a pan-Canadian licensure model. This would allow health professionals to work where they would like and where the needs are greatest. It's time to remove these unnecessary regulatory obstacles.
The result will affect every single Canadian and put their health or ability to access their health system at risk. This crisis has ballooned past what any jurisdiction can manage alone. We know that the premiers are focused on an increase in unconditional federal dollars. We believe that more strategic federal investments are required to support the rebuilding of health care delivery in Canada.
First, we need federal leadership for pan-Canadian integrated health and human resource planning. An intergovernmental approach led by the federal government is required.
Second, it's time to deliver on the promise to increase patient access to family doctors and primary care teams by delivering on the $3.2-billion commitment. As part of this commitment, the CMA recommends that $1.2 billion over four years be dedicated to a primary care access fund, and $2 million to undertake an assessment of interprofessional training capacity of family physicians [Technical difficulty—Editor]. Scaling up collaborative, interprofessional primary care is central to increasing access to care.
Third, we need a pan-Canadian licensure model that supports access to care, especially for rural and remote communities; continuity of care, including cross border virtual care; the mobility of patients and providers; and overall creates a more streamlined licensure process.
The past decades have witnessed remarkable advances in medicine, but we're still reliant on health workers.
Just as we have stood on the front lines, it's critical that the federal government create pathways that will stand for the protection of medical professionals. We need the federal government to finish this long shift with us.
Thank you, Chair.