The Association of Allied Health Professionals is calling for the provincial government to expand its core staffing review within the healthcare system.

Earlier this month it was announced that a review, specifically focused on nursing, was underway.

The AAHP wants government to expand that process to include its members, who they say are “critical” frontline workers – essential to safe, efficient, and high-quality patient care.

The association is concerned that “significant gaps” will be overlooked should allied health professionals not be included in the review, and that any solutions implemented will fail to address the root causes of issues within the system.

President Gord Piercey argues that a sustainable healthcare workforce cannot be built by examining one profession in isolation.

In addition to the expansion of the review, AAHP is also calling for profession-specific benchmarks to be set, targeted recruitment and retention strategies to be implemented, and for the association to be consulted during the process.