RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun has been appointed by the government as a member of a new action group tasked with helping to implement health-care recruiting and training in Ontario. The Staffing Supply Accelerator Group will support the objectives of the Ontario government’s long-term care staffing plan. Grinspun joins leaders from other stakeholder groups, including the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, AdvantAge Ontario, and the Council of Ontario Universities. The group is tasked with accelerating and expanding the training and education of registered nurses (RN), registered practical nurses (RPN) and personal support workers (PSW). They will focus on four priorities in 2021 –2022: building a PSW learning pathway to include onsite training and micro-credentialing; bridging opportunities for PSWs to become RPNs and RPNs to become RNs; increasing enrolment and accelerating completion of existing training programs in support of long-term care; and removing barriers to enable more internationally trained professionals to become qualified to practice in Ontario. The group first met in March and will operate for at least one year. “The work has been intense, with several sub-groups forming,” says Grinspun. This is necessary if we are to strengthen health human resources – both regulated and unregulated – for the long-term care sector, she adds. “Our seniors deserve to have a good quality of life. To do this, there needs to be adequate staff to care for them,” she insists. Learn more about the Staffing Supply Accelerator Group here.