Mr. Speaker, this Government is committed to improving the health and social services system in the Northwest Territories. Over the last year, I have travelled to every region of the NWT to consult with residents, communities, Aboriginal governments, and staff in the regional Authorities. Everywhere I go, I have heard from people that they don’t care about bureaucratic boundaries and regional silos. They just want the best possible care for themselves and their loved ones.  They want to be sure that we can afford to provide excellent care into the future.

Mr. Speaker, November 6-12, 2014 is National Seniors’ Safety Week and it is a good opportunity to remember the important role that Seniors and Elders play in our communities.

Elders are the heart of our communities, providing guidance, care for children, and serving as volunteers. But as they age, Seniors often require a greater level of support than others.

The Government has taken several steps to restructure our system so that it is responsive, comfortable and efficient when it comes to meeting the needs of Seniors. 

Mr. Speaker: I am pleased to report that earlier this month the Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories launched the Wellness Court, supported by a new Department of Justice Wellness Court Program.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide this House with an update on the  Med-Response system.

Med-Response is the first program of its kind in Canada – or anywhere else, as far as we know.  Other jurisdictions have call centres to coordinate air ambulance triage and dispatch, or call centres to provide clinical consultation, but Med-Response is breaking new ground by combining these functions into one operation.

Mr. Speaker, later today I will table “Building Stronger Families – An Action Plan to Transform Child and Family Services”as well as the formal response to Committee Report 6-17(5).  This Government is committed to a fundamental shift in how we deliver child and family services in the Northwest Territories. The Action Plan will guide necessary and transformational changes to improve the overall quality of these services, and achieve better outcomes for children and their families when they require services under the Child and Family Services Act.

YELLOWKNIFE (October 2, 2014) – Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernethy joined his federal, provincial and territorial colleagues in Banff earlier this week to discuss innovative practices in health.

Ministers discussed a range of health innovations including a new office for the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, generic drug pricing, research on dementia, seniors and aging, prescription drug abuse and the ebola outbreak in Africa.

YELLOWKNIFE (October 2, 2014) – The renewal of the Stanton Territorial Hospital moved closer today with the announcement by Finance Minister J. Michael Miltenberger that three proponents have qualified for the project, pursuant to the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Request for Qualifications.

The three proponents are:

FORT SMITH (September 25, 2014) – Residents of Fort Smith will become the newest beneficiaries of electronic medical information systems, as the Government of the Northwest Territories continues its roll-out of the Territorial Electronic Medical Record (EMR) project. Authorized health professionals will have instant access to the medical information of patients, which enhances patient continuity of care.

Yellowknife (September 10, 2014) – On September 9, 2014, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority (YHSSA) awarded the NWT Disabilities Council with a contract to provide day shelter services effective October 1, 2014.

YELLOWKNIFE (August 19, 2014) – The Government of the Northwest Territories is seeking input on options for ensuring the NWT health and social services system better meets the changing needs of NWT residents. The issues and plans for addressing them are outlined in Caring for our People – Improving the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services System, a discussion paper released today by Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernethy.