Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got some more questions today for the Minister of Health and Social Services getting back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about the sterilization of surgical equipment at Stanton Hospital. Again my main concern here is the public that are out there waiting for surgeries and residents who have gotten post-operative infections being upset and concerned over how this has all played itself out. I’d like to ask the Minister when exactly the decision was made to cancel elective surgeries at Stanton.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all I need to clarify some of the confusion that might be created as a result of our exchange here. There are incidents of infections that I had reported yesterday, but there is no connection between those infections and the sterilization equipment that we’re talking about.
Stanton is maintaining and upgrading the sterilization equipment. They are waiting for parts. For that reason they have had to cut down on surgeries. They are doing emergency surgeries as well as those that require medical travel when people travel here to have surgery. They are doing those. They are delaying elective surgeries. That is a separate process from incidents of infections that the hospital has identified, which they are following up on.
Based on that information that they need to be serviced and maintained -- and I’m speaking about the equipment -- can the Minister give me a date that would coincide with a decision being made to delay or cancel elective surgeries at that hospital? I’m looking for a date from the Minister.
I don’t have a specific date, but Stanton has delayed and lowered the number of elective surgeries in January and February.
The Minister talks about parts and we’re waiting for some parts. I know the CEO had mentioned that in a news report, as well, that they’re waiting for a part. I’d like to ask the Minister exactly what parts we’re waiting for and why it’s taking so long to get those parts to arrive at the hospital.
I’d like to reiterate what the CEO said in her interview, which is that all of our equipment meets national standards. They’ve decided to improve the steam quality of the sterilization equipment. They have recently installed a new reverse osmosis system and are in the process of installing a steam filtration system to improve steam quality. In doing so, they have had to have a new part and they are waiting for that. That is the situation with this.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It doesn’t get much more vague than they’re just waiting for a part. I’d asked the Minister a specific question: what part are they waiting for and why is it taking so long?
That’s a highly specific and technical question and I’d be happy to undertake to get the information on exactly what equipment, exactly what part, and exactly from where that Stanton is waiting for this.
I should note here, though, that our biomed department at Stanton is second to none. They have a very good staff and well-trained staff who maintain and look after our medical health equipment from all over the Territories. In my entire time of 12 years here, I don’t remember something like this happening. I have full confidence in the authority to do the job and this is an extraordinary situation, but I’m sure it’s a normal situation too. The hospital is in need of equipment and they are ordering a part to be able to do that.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
