Doctors Manitoba says physicians write roughly 600,000 sick notes per year and by eliminating them it can free up more than 300,000 visits for patients.
A bill now before the legislature would give the provincial cabinet the power to spell out specific sites for detention such as hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Health Minister Josie Osborne said the ongoing toxic drug crisis has led to a ‘small but growing number of people who are living with overlapping mental-health and substance-use challenges, as well as brain injuries from repeated overdoes.’
There’s been plenty of promotion around making more healthcare teams in Ontario. But their efficiency lies in having the right staff, in the right places, available at the right times—easier said than done.
The Opposition B.C. Conservatives say the proposal by caucus chair Jody Toor is the first private member’s bill to pass second reading with unanimous support in a recorded vote in 43 years.
Since launching the pilot in select pharmacies in 2023, the program has handled about 27,000 appointments, with 100% of surveyed patients saying they’d recommend it to family and friends.
