December 13, 2011 - Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the state of the health and social service system in the Northwest Territories. We need to take decisive action to ensure that we can continue to deliver high-quality services to our residents into the future. Sustainability of the health care system is a national issue, and one that is of concern to Canadians across the country. Every health system in Canada is affected by rising costs, shortage of health professionals and the health needs of an aging population.
But in the North, we face additional challenges, including our heavy use of medical travel in order for residents to access services. Our health and social services system also has to deal with the impacts of high rates of smoking and alcohol abuse, unhealthy diets and low levels of physical activity among many northerners. Our communities are dealing with the after-effects of the trauma of residential schools. We have a health governance system that has evolved over time but is not structured to respond to today’s program and service needs.
Mr. Speaker, these are big challenges but we can overcome them. We can make real change in the health and social services system – change that will improve access to services for northerners, support improved health outcomes, and help to contain costs. The basis for that change is spelled out in the Health and Social Services Strategic Plan, “Building on Our Foundation”, which will run to 2016.
What needs to happen? First of all, we need to improve the management of the system. We need to take advantage of economies of scale and share resources collaboratively among regions. We can accomplish this by streamlining the governance system, and finding ways to integrate services such as finance, procurement and technical support.
Secondly, we need take advantage of “e-health”, using modern communications technology to bring services to people in their home communities. We have already had great success in sending X-rays from communities to Yellowknife; in providing speech and language therapy to children in community schools; and in providing psychiatric and family counselling by videoconference. Expanding e-health can help to minimize the need for medical travel, both saving costs and providing faster care.
Mr. Speaker, the Strategic Plan includes other key building blocks to a sustainable system. We are working to find better ways to manage chronic diseases, like diabetes, by giving patients the proper support at the community level and the tools they need to manage their illness. We need to support people with mental illness and addictions by ensuring that programs and trained staff are available in their communities. We need to do a better job of working with families to address problems that might lead to children being taken into care.
Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of this 17th Legislative Assembly is to ensure a fair and sustainable health care system by investing in prevention, education, awareness and early childhood development. Focusing on wellness and prevention at the community level will lead to improved health status over the long term. To put it simply, there are four key steps that every resident can take to live a healthy lifestyle – stop smoking, consume alcohol in moderation, eat healthy foods and stay physically active. We need to get the message out to help northerners make these healthy choices. The Government of the Northwest Territories’ multi-department Healthy Choices Framework helps to accomplish this through programs like Drop the Pop, Get Active, and Tobacco Cessation. It may take years for these campaigns to lead to improved health outcomes, but we know they work. Our successful Don’t Be a Butthead campaign has helped reduce teen smoking.
Perhaps the most important investment we can make is in our children. The Healthy Families program, now expanded to six communities, provides supportive parenting services and promotes healthy parent-child relationships. Children who grow up in a loving nurturing family can do well in school and in the workforce, and lead productive lives.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I am committed to working with all Northerners to improve the operation of the health and social services system, to improve the health status of Northwest Territories residents, and to ensure that our system remains sustainable while meeting the needs of all northerners.
Thank you.