Ontario is looking to expand the scope of practice for several regulated health-care professionals in an effort to improve access to care and ease pressure on the system.
The Ministry of Health said Tuesday the province is consulting on changes that would allow optometrists, psychologists, physiotherapists and other providers to work to the full extent of their training. The move is part of the government’s plan to make care more connected and convenient across Ontario.
“Across our province, qualified health-care professionals are ready to contribute more to their communities, ensuring doctors’ offices and emergency departments are available for those who truly need them,” Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones said in a statement. “By working to expand scopes of practice for additional professions, we are building on our progress to make it faster and easier for families to access the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Under the proposed changes, optometrists could gain authority to perform minor surgical procedures, use laser therapy for eye conditions and independently treat open-angle glaucoma. Psychologists with specialized training could be permitted to prescribe certain medications, such as antidepressants, as well as order and interpret diagnostic tests.
The government is also exploring expanding the ability to order and perform diagnostic imaging to several professions, including physiotherapists, chiropractors, speech-language pathologists, chiropodists, denturists and dental hygienists.
In addition, the Ontario College of Pharmacists has been directed to prepare regulatory changes that would allow pharmacists to prescribe for 14 more ailments, such as mild headaches, sleep disorders, shingles and fungal infections. Pharmacists could also administer more vaccines and provide treatments such as Sublocade for opioid use disorder.
The province said pharmacists have provided more than 1.8 million assessments for minor ailments since the service began in 2023, with nearly all community pharmacies participating.
The proposed expansions are part of the government’s Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, which aims to protect the health-care system by shifting more services to trained professionals outside of hospitals and primary care.
