Engagement with partners is a leading practice in health workforce planning: What health leaders need to know

Workforce planning ensures that the health workforce is aligned with current and future population needs. Engagement with partners and knowledge users is a leading practice in planning and is essential for planning to be successful. The goal of this study was to explore the considerations and processes involved in integrating engagement into workforce planning. Through a case study of primary care workforce planning in Toronto, we address the role of engagement, how it can be integrated into planning, and how lessons from engagement support spread and scale of effective workforce planning. In the course of engagement with five Ontario Health Teams between September 2023 and February 2024, we learned that there is considerable enthusiasm for planning, but that support is needed, and that engagement guides investment and strengthens relationships. We offer guidance for leaders with respect to actualizing engagement and building capacity for health workforce planning across the health system.