Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the health care worker I spoke to about the recent round of engagements within the system the Minister's undertaking and the authority's undertaking said, quote: We don't need more opportunities for feedback. The reason health care workers don't feel heard is because there's never any real action or bold moves on the feedback we've given for years.
So I'd like to ask the Minister of health today, in these town halls that she's having with health care workers what is she hearing? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, alongside with the CEO and the deputy minister as well as the COO of Stanton, had a town hall for Stanton staff so not -- we did not have one with the Yellowknife region as of yet which the primary care falls under. What we heard were a lot of operational issues. We also heard a lot of, you know, even just internal how, like, funding for different things within. We did hear leave, you know, and that's where the commitment was made to review the policy. You know, there is a sense of frustration, and I acknowledge that, and so what we are taking away from that first town hall that we had with Stanton is to compile everything. The one thing that we'll do is that we will -- you know, it's now the Minister's office has heard from the staff, the department has heard from the staff, you know, I -- and we -- the CEO has heard from the staff, the COO has heard from the staff. So we are going to be following up back with looping that back to the staff as to where we are with following up. Some of them were easy fixes and were committed to right on the fly during those meetings.
We'll continue to have those meetings throughout the territory. Some may say that they are -- they're not -- you know, that they're not the all and be all for everybody, but they are one voice where I'm able to hear what the concerns are as well as the CEO and as many people -- you know, as the Minister of Health and Social Services, the NTHSSA is the operations and they do have a governing council, and with that, I have to go work through and with the governing council in order to -- you know, to know what's going on and to the -- with the direction that they're giving. So this is a better way for me to really hear, and in partnership to be able to work with them, in looping that information back around and providing me with areas where I can then be more holding them account to that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the governing council joining the Minister on these listening sessions? Thank you.
Thank you. As Stanton is a territorial hospital, it doesn't fall within one of the regional wellness. So each of the regional wellness, so each of the regions have a COO, and then they have a council -- a regional wellness council that has a chair. And so what I have -- within Stanton, we did not have the chair of the governing council at this meeting. But we do plan to have the chairs of the regional wellness as long as -- as well as the COOs and the CEO and the deputy minister moving forward with all of the other regions because they do have chairs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm looking for accountability as well, and I hear this refrain that it's the governance council that's in charge; it's not the Minister, there's only so much she can do. So why are these -- why are we not bringing the governing council to listen to these meetings? It doesn't matter if it's Stanton. They're responsible for the entire thing. The individual wellness council's, fine. But the overall management of the system and oversight of the system is one body so why are they not being involved with this effort?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the chair of each of the regional wellness council is a member of the governing council, so that is the governing council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the workers are looking for bold action. They're looking for a clear commitment. So what is the Minister's idea for how to solve this problem? What's the clear commitment and deliverable that she can give hope to workers that things are going to get better and improve? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before that, you know, we are -- as this whole year I've been working with the governing council and working with the Members, hearing from the Members, hearing from the public. It's not that I -- you know, it's -- I don't sit here on having deaf ears. I know that there are real issues within our health care system. You know, there are real issues that people are sicker and that we need serious -- and so I hear the Members. And, yes, there are things that we are looking into. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
