Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up my questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services concerning standards of care being offered in small communities.
On May 31st, 2022, the Minister stated I had the opportunity to go to six different NWT communities, and you had a lot to say about healthcare and delivery to them.
Can the Minister tell us which communities she visited, and what issues she heard from the residents? And Mr. Speaker, I don't need specifics, just a broad policy recommendation that represents the privacy of the healthcare clients. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Yes, thank you. I was honoured, Mr. Speaker, to tour your communities Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik.
I attended a constituency meeting with my colleague from Inuvik Boot Lake. I went to the Fort Smith Medical Centre and met with regional wellness council. I went to Norman Wells, and I met with the regional wellness council there and toured the longterm care. And I met with the Yellowknife regional wellness council which includes a representative from Fort Resolution.
The issues were what I would define as case management, which means that people had specific concerns about their own interactions with the healthcare system. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank Minister Green for your answer.
The Minister has also said that the CEO of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services region has been to Fort Resolution a couple of times this month and has opened channels of communications with the leadership there.
Can the Minister elaborate on the number of visits and if they had an opportunity to meet with the Chief Louis Balsillie and president Arthur Beck. Mahsi.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm going to need to get back to the Member with details of when those visits happened by the COO of the Yellowknife region to the community of Fort Resolution. I know they happened in May, but I can't be more specific than that.
And I would also like to say that with respect to meeting Arthur Beck and Chief Balsillie, I haven't met Chief Balsillie. I have met Arthur Beck at various bilaterals that we've had. Thank you.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to Minister Julie Green for your answer. Can the Minister tell us what she means by stating the communication channels have been established with Fort Resolution leadership. Does this mean that a plan to address the needs of community is in development? Mahsi.
Yes, thank you. I found in my notes here that the chief operating officer was there May 2nd to the 5th. She met with community members, the mayor, the staff at the health centre, to look at ways that communication could be improved within the community and between the community and the health and social services authority.
The service levels are a concern. I've mentioned this previously. We're very short of nurses, and that applies to Fort Resolution as it does to other places. Finding staff is done on a systemwide basis. So we don't have a plan that single out particular communities. We need to provide healthcare across the NWT. So everyone is considered at the same time.
I am pleased to hear that the community has taken advantage of the community suicide prevention agreement in the last fiscal year and received $41,000 to bring about that service, and that the Chief has been holding a sixweek wellness camp and followup work shops. That's great. And I really appreciate communities applying for the community funds that we have available so that they can provide service directly to their residents according to their own needs and values. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister reassure this House that the health centres and personnel and RCMP Members in Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e, and other small communities, establish a meaningful and clear protocol process to understand their powers and responsibilities in the case of emergencies for the enforcement under the Mental Health Act. The community members and leadership should know exactly what to do and to whom to call for help in the case of emergency to enforce the Mental Health Act. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, thank you. Mr. Speaker, it's my understanding that there is a nurse on call, and so I would suggest that the first call be to the health centre. 911 is available throughout the NWT as an emergency service that can provide links to other emergency services. I think the RCMP are 24/7 as well.
So I think, if I understand the Member correctly, the services that he's referencing are available 24/7, and I would suggest that Members call their local service first, service providers before, trying 911. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
