Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are related to my Member's statement in which I voiced displeasure with the health department ignoring our pleas for help in regards to ongoing issues at our health centres. And it could be for many other health centres in the small communities.
I'm trying to get a sense as to why there is no will from the health department to address our health centre issues and complaints. I ask the Premier to enlighten this House and the residents of the Northwest Territories as to the mandate of the Department of Health and Social Services. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Honourble Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those questions are pretty specific, and in that case, then I do not have the answers. I have to defer it to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourble Premier. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member has been consistently critical of the services in his community, and we have paid attention to that. There is staff turnover in his community at this time. There are two nurse vacancies that will probably not be filled right away because nurses are in very short supply. Complaints about staff conduct have been relayed to the Nurses Association and to the GNWT. The Health Authority Management went to meet with staff in the community in April to understand their concerns. There was an audit conducted of programing within the health centre on March the 19th. The COO has made numerous attempts to meet with the leadership in the community, and the most recent information I have is that the community is now willing to meet with him, and that will happen this month. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I know the health centre, they're aware of all the problems, but they haven't been doing nothing for the longest time. Nobody's ever ever reached out to me from the department.
Mr. Speaker, I note the vision of the health department is for best health, best care, for a better future. One of the values is caring, which states we treat everyone with compassion, respect, fairness, and dignity. Another value is accountability, which states system outcomes are measured, assessed, and publicly reported on.
Mr. Speaker, I have been asking the health department if they would consider conducting professional evaluations on the operations of health centres, especially in all the small centres, but to no avail. I asked the Premier, as the leader of her Cabinet colleagues, and the leader of the Minister of Health and Social Services, if she will give direction to the department to begin to develop a system to conduct professional evaluations of all small health centres and that these be conducted on a yearly basis. Mahsi.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make the distinction between the Department of Health and Social Services and the Health and Social Services Authorities. The Department of Health and Social Services is the policy arm of the operation. The implementation on the ground in the health centres is the Health and Social Services Authority. I haven't received a request from another health centre for a program audit. But one was done at the health at the Fort Providence health centre on March the 19th. Thank you.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when there are problems with nurse practitioners or a nurseincharge, the health department sends you to speak to the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Although the department directs you to them, the department does not follow up with any issues of concern that was brought to their attention. They have basically washed their hands of any issues at health centres. This is a far cry from a health system that is measured, assessed, and publically reported on. Will the Premier please intervene and fix the health system that is broken? Mahsi.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given the number of times the authority and the department have been up and down the highway to speak with the leadership in Fort Providence about the issues in their health centre, I don't think it's at all fair to characterize us as ignoring the situation. We are fully engaged. I am really pleased to hear now the community is ready to meet with the COO of the Deh Cho Region and start working on the specific issues that the Member has raised and I encourage them to go forward with the meeting that is planned this month. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Deh Cho. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
