National Expert Committee (NEC) on Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice

One of Health Canada's first tasks, in developing the IECPCP Initiative, was to build a National Expert Committee (NEC) on Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice. Twenty-seven individuals from across the country were recruited to participate on this Committee. The Committee's overall composition represents leading stakeholders from the fields of medicine, nursing, and allied health. Provincial and territorial governments, as well as patients and students, are further represented as important members. Individual members were chosen for the Committee based on their expertise, knowledge, experience, and understanding of the issues related to interprofessional education for collaborative patient-centred practice. The NEC is lead by two co-chairs: Sandra MacDonald-Rencz - acting/Executive Director of the Office of Nursing Policy from Health Canada and Dr. Carol Herbert, from the University of Western Ontario.

The NEC provides independent expert advice to Health Canada on the development, promotion and implementation of the initiative. Further, the Committee will work to promote and demonstrate the benefits of interprofessional education for collaborative patient-centred team practice at the level of entry-to-practice, graduate education, and continuing education. This will stimulate networking related to educational activities and the sharing of best educational practices.

National Expert Committee (NEC) Membership as of May 31 2004

• Co-chair: Dr. Carol Herbert, Dean of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario
• Co-chair: Sandra MacDonald-Rencz, acting/Executive Director, Office of Nursing Policy, Health Canada
• Dr. Louise Nasmith, Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
• Dr. Marlene Smadu, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs, Regina Site, College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan
• Dr. Lynn McIntyre, Dean, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University
• Dr. Annette O'Connor, Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Ottawa, and Senior Scientist, Ottawa Health Research Institute
• Mr. John Peddle, Executive Director, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Boards Association
• Ms. Lise Girard, Senior Management Advisor, Renewal of Health Care Services, Department of Health and Wellness of New Brunswick, Government of New Brunswick
• Ms. Jeanette Edwards, Director, Community Development, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
• Dr. Danielle Martin, Past-President, Canadian Federation of Medical Students, University of Toronto
• Ms. Linda Jones, Consultant, Ottawa
• Dr. John H.V. Gilbert, Principal, College of Health Disciplines, University of British Columbia
• Ms. Shelly Low, Vice-President of Interprofessional Affairs (Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns), University of Alberta
• Dr. Tom Ward, Deputy Minister, Department of Health, Nova Scotia
• Dr. Danielle D'Amour, Assistant Professor and Director of the FERASI Centre, Faculty of Nursing, University of Montreal
• Dr. Wayne Hindmarsh, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto
• Ms. Sue Matthews, Provincial Chief Nursing Officer, Nursing Secretariat, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ontario
• Dr. Judith Bartlett, Associate Director, Programs, and Research Associate at the Manitoba First Nation Centre for Aboriginal Health Research, University of Manitoba
• Ms. Helen Fields, Branch Head, Department of Health, Leeds, UK
• Ms. Bev-Ann Murray, Executive Director, Health Workforce, Manitoba Health
• Ms. Beth Kapusta, Consumer, Toronto
• Mr. Robert Shearer, Director , Health Human Resource Strategies Division, Health Canada
• Mrs. Yhetta Gold, Consumer, Winnipeg
• Ms. Nancy Milroy-Swainson, Director, Primary and Continuing Health Care Division, Health Canada
• Ms. Rachel Bard, Deputy Minister, Training and Employment, Government of New Brunswick