Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It is in regard to dental care in the Inuvik region and, more importantly, the lack of the orthodontists in the region.
I think it’s critical that we have that service being provided. Like I mentioned in my statement, Mr. Speaker, there are quite a few people who have been calling me and also other Members of this House and, more importantly, the frustration of having to wait three years after being referred for surgery and still hasn’t heard back from the department. I’d like to ask the Minister: exactly what is your department doing to ensure that dental care services are being provided in the Inuvik region and, more importantly, having an orthodontist in the region to provide that important service? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let the record show that this is a two good news day for the Mackenzie Delta from the Department of Health and Social Services. Earlier in my Minister’s statement, I indicated the mental wellness initiatives in McPherson, and I’m happy to confirm that we have a three-year contract with an orthodontist for the Beaufort-Delta. We expect that he will begin service on April 1st, until March 2013. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, that is good news, but too bad that people aren’t hearing it outside of this building. I recommend to the Minister she puts out a press release on that good news story, because I think people are waiting to hear that. More importantly, Mr. Speaker, people are still having to have the lack of dental care in the region and also for the individuals who have taken it on themselves to bring their children to Yellowknife at their own cost to get them into the dental care system in Yellowknife. Is there a way that those people can be reimbursed for those costs associated with dental care from the Inuvik region?
I know lots of people are listening to the debates in the House, so I’m sure the Beaufort-Delta knows this good news already.
Mr. Speaker, I need to advise everyone that dental service is not a health service that the Department of Health and Social Services is responsible for. It is an NIHB service. It’s the federal government that pays for dental service. The Department of Health and Social Services and the authorities assist in this program in terms of getting a contract for the dentist. If the Member wishes to give me the personal information of these individuals, we would be happy to assist them in doing the paperwork to NIHB to recover some of those costs. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I will definitely get that to the Minister. The other issue that I was dealing with is the issue of an individual who was diagnosed to get surgery three years ago and still hasn’t gotten it. I’d like to ask the Minister: can you put some urgency on that case and get the individual into the appropriate care that is needed and so they can get the surgery in regard to their dental care? Can the Minister commit to that? Thank you.
Yes, I would commit to getting the individual information from the Member and assist where we can. Without knowing the facts, I have to say it’s hard to believe that somebody could not have a surgery for three years. There must be some reasons for that, because we do get periodic requests from constituents and we do help with the process of bridging the gap between the NIHB and our clients. So if the Member brings the information forward, I will commit to follow that up. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Your final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Again, I thank the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, I’d also like to ask the Minister if her department can put out some sort of a public notice informing the public in the Inuvik region that that contract has been let and there is going to be a service provider so that the public in the Inuvik region knows that their dental care will be taken care of through a new contractor arrangement, so we get it out to the public either through a public announcement or, basically, the Minister making a statement in the House. Thank you.
Yes, I will work with the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority to publicize this welcome start of the orthodontist in the Beaufort-Delta region. At the same time, I would like to ask all the public in the Beaufort-Delta, if they have a dental appointment, please show up. If they can’t make it, please let us know so that we could maximize the use of these dentists when they are in communities. This was a topic we talked about in the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council meetings. I will advertise both of them. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
