RNAO NP members Hoda Mankal and Joanna Binch are ready to bring mental health and addiction care, as well as primary care, to Ottawa’s most vulnerable. They’re just waiting for funding approval from the province to open their NP-led clinic and get to work. There are currently only 25 NP-led clinics in the province, none of which are in Ottawa. NPs have the ability to provide many of the services that a family physician can, including writing prescriptions, ordering tests and interpreting lab results. RNAO has been urging the government to fund additional NP-led clinics because, without ready access to a primary care provider, many people rely on emergency departments or walk-in clinics, which are often unable to provide care continuity or prevent complications. “This is an urgent and complex problem that requires system collaboration and a team-based care approach,” Mankal and Binch say. Their proposal to the Ontario government notes their clinic would employ the equivalent of 12 full-time NPs, with 21 NPs already committed to working part-time. Their proposal is not the only one on the list for approval. RNAO is also advocating for NP-led clinic applications in Peterborough and Orillia, along with several others. (Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 23)