Debates of June 8, 2006 (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he can inform the people in the communities about the types of action plans his department has planned for serving the percentage of patients in the Stanton Territorial Hospital. What is he doing to provide good quality service that is serving the high percentage of aboriginal patients? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Stanton Territorial Hospital is an $80 million, 500 staff facility. It is our major tertiary care facility. The Member is correct; there is a high percentage of aboriginal population who use the service and we have been working with Stanton, with some of the MLAs over the last number of months and have been getting advice from elders across the Northwest Territories about how we can start to better incorporate traditional healing practices and wellness approaches into Stanton hospital. There has been a lot of work done. We’ve taken the time to go to other jurisdictions that have done interesting things like Whitehorse, like Sioux Lookout, we have been down to look at the Royal Alex in Edmonton. We are going to be bringing together an advisory group of elders who are going to sit down with Stanton and we are going to start mapping out some of the things we can do more effectively, keeping in mind that we already have a lot of good things underway in terms of interpreter services, the wild foods that we bring in and there are 15 aboriginal nurses now operating in Stanton, which is a real asset. So we want to continue to improve that service. The Member has been involved with the Social Programs committee and we are going to continue on that path. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister also inform me and the House, the people of the Northwest Territories, are there any specific type of plans you would seek Stanton go out into a place where there will be units or places where the aboriginal people can have a unit similar to the Whitehorse General Hospital where there is a unit set aside for the needs of the aboriginal people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have about $185,000 identified in this year’s budget and there is about a quarter of a million dollars identified for next year. Part of the plan is to get the advisory group of elders from the regions who will be working with Stanton to start laying out some of the things we want to do that are currently in existence or how we are going to possibly better enhance things that we are already doing. I know in other jurisdictions like Whitehorse, they have special arrangements for families, especially in palliative cases. That type of improvement is definitely an option if it’s brought forward by the elders. We will work collectively with this House, and the advisory group and Stanton to see what’s possible and build into our planning these issues and these projects so that we can take it through the planning process and access resources over time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have our regional health boards established across the North here. Speaking more specifically to the Sahtu health board, how is the Sahtu regional health board going to be involved in the territorial Stanton initiative in terms of involvement and input? I know you talk about the elders and that’s a key component to the success of this initiative. In terms of our regional health boards and specifically the Sahtu regional health board, will they have input into this initiative? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Joint Leadership Council, which comprises of all the board chairs from the authorities, the deputy minister and myself, are going to be paying very close attention to this initiative. As well, all the CEOs are involved through the Joint Senior Management Committee to oversee a lot of the detailed program implementation piece. The CEO of Stanton will be working closely with the Elders’ Advisory Council and there will be a representative from the Sahtu on that and they will be providing that kind of advice, so we can see how we move forward from here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is really a good news story for the department in the way you are looking at this approach in terms of our health in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister, when will we see an elderly residence at the Stanton Territorial Hospital?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 85-15(5): Aboriginal Wellness Services Available At The Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated to the Member earlier today, we intend to have the formal letters out, signed by the CEO of Stanton, inviting the elders from the regions to gather, so that we can start this process and start the good work to implement all the different facets and aspects of the aboriginal wellness and healing that we want to see incorporated first in Stanton and then across the system as we get better at this. Thank you.