April 1, 2026
St. John’s, NL – At a time when people across Canada are struggling to access the care they need, our collective focus must remain where it belongs: on patients and ensuring timely, appropriate care for everyone. This is not the moment for division within the health-care system, but for collaboration.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada is right about one thing. Team-based care works best when every provider is supported to use their full skills and training. That is how we build a stronger health-care system and deliver better outcomes for patients.
Nurse Practitioners are highly trained, trusted health-care providers with advanced education and expertise. They are already delivering care to patients across Newfoundland and Labrador every day, working alongside physicians and other providers as part of a coordinated team. We know too many people in our province are still waiting for access to primary care.
When Nurse Practitioners are able to roster patients and practice to their full scope, people are able to get care sooner. Care is more consistent, and the system is better able to respond to the needs of our communities.
This is what team-based care looks like. Providers working together, each contributing their expertise, with a shared focus on patient care.
We are encouraged by the work underway with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to expand opportunities for Nurse Practitioners, including the development of a funding model that supports team-based care and improves access for patients, so more people can get care when and where they need it. That kind of collaboration is exactly what our system needs.
There is more work to do, but the path forward is clear. By supporting health-care providers to work to their full potential, we can strengthen public health care and improve access for people across our province.
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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador represents over 6,000 registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, and nurse practitioners across the province, advocating for quality health care, safe working conditions, and respect for the nursing profession.
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
Tel: (709) 691-6890
Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca