RNAO releases third edition of People-Centred Care BPG
TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2025 /CNW/ – To strengthen relationships between health and social service providers and the people they serve, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) has released the third edition of its renowned best practice guideline (BPG): People-Centred Care.
The updated guideline supports a deeper understanding of individuals’ specific needs, preferences and values, ensuring those accessing health and social services feel they are co-creating their care plans effectively. This leads to quality outcomes for the public, organizations and health providers.
“A people-centred approach to care promotes meaningful partnerships between people and providers, shared decision-making and respect for individual values, preferences and needs,” says RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun the founder and visionary of the BPG program. “RNAO has released its third edition of People-Centred Care to improve health equity, address challenges in accessing health and social services and foster positive experiences and health outcomes for all populations.”
The guideline outlines good practice statements and recommendations related to:
- therapeutic relationships grounded in trauma-informed care and culturally safe practices
- shared decision-making about treatment, care and services
- assessing readiness for advance care planning
- virtual care as an alternative to in-person care
- decision aids to enhance participation in making decisions related to health screening and health-care treatment options
This BPG was developed by a diverse panel of experts, including people with lived experience, nurses in various roles, academics, family members, spiritual care practitioners, physicians, social workers and engagement advisors.
The panel was co-chaired by Michael Creek, a respected Canadian advocate whose work has focused on poverty reduction, health equity and social justice and Dr. Kateryna Metersky, interim associate director for the collaborative nursing degree program at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing.
“RNAO leads the way with this evidence-based BPG, setting the stage for transformative change in our health system. This BPG aims to improve people’s experiences and health outcomes as they navigate their care and recognizes individuals with lived experience as both active participants and beneficiaries,” says Creek.
Metersky adds that the BPG is an important one. “This BPG supports health and social service providers in identifying and developing the knowledge, skills, and judgment necessary to co-design care with people. By doing so, it improves health outcomes and aligns care practices with the evolving health-care landscape. It underscores how powerful the humanness element to care can be if done correctly, if every voice is valued and if every care is tailored.”
The BPG’s release was announced at RNAO’s BPSO Global Summit, attended by over 15,000 health professionals and persons with lived experience from Canada and 24 other countries. The guideline is now available for free download on RNAO’s website. It replaces RNAO’s 2015 BPG: Person- and Family-Centred Care and integrates two earlier BPGs: Establishing Therapeutic Relationships and Strengthening and Supporting Families through Expected and Unexpected Life Events, both published in 2006.
RNAO’s Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) Program is funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Health. It was envisioned by CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun in 1998 and launched in 1999 to provide the best available evidence for people’s care across all health sectors and settings, with more than 50 guidelines developed to date. The Best Practice Spotlight Organization® (BPSO®) program is a robust knowledge mobilization movement that supports service and academic institutions to formally implement multiple RNAO BPGs over a three-year period and evaluate their impact on people, organizations and health systems. Launched in 2003, the BPSO program now has more than 1,500 BPSOs in Ontario, Canada and internationally.
The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses’ contribution to shaping the health system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public we serve. For more information about RNAO, visit RNAO.ca or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
