Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister tell me how many days outside of break-up and freeze-up that a nurse has visited the community of Tsiigehtchic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, outside of break-up or freeze-up, we are scheduled to have a nurse into the community of Tsiigehtchic one day a week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I was actually looking for 16 to 20, but that's close. Can the Minister tell me how many of those days were full days, and how many were partial days, due to commuting back from Inuvik?
The employee is scheduled for a full day, but in the community itself, a portion of that time is spent driving to and from the community, as the Member has already indicated. I can get the exact numbers from the department on how many hours per day the RN was able to spend in the community during those periods of time. The nurse does work a full day; only a portion of those hours are actually spent in the community, as the Member previously indicated in his statement.
Will the Minister commit to having the nurse spend a full day in the community during each visit?
The Member and I actually had a conversation on this when he brought it to my attention that the RNs aren't spending a full day. I have already committed to the Member, and I will commit to the Member in this House, that I have directed the department to work with the authority to make sure that our RNs are spending the full hours in the community, either seven-and-a-half or eight. We have to work out some details on that. It may require a little bit of overtime. It may require the RN staying overnight so that they can provide certain hours on one day and certain hours on another day, but I am committed to the Member, to the community, to the region, to make sure that that community is getting the hours promised.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. As the Minister is aware, we do have housing available if the nurse wanted to stay, come in the day before. The community is always willing to help anywhere they can. I would like to thank the Minister for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. More of a comment to the Minister and Executive. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
