Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about a trend that is developing in the decisions that are being made in the delivery and provision of health care services at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
My colleague from Great Slave spoke yesterday about the relocation of the medical travel offices out of Stanton; only a small 8.5 by 11 sign posted on the door, no more face-to-face interaction, no transition plan, no communication plan, and it lacks any cultural sensitivity whatsoever. This is completely inexcusable. How exactly are emergency medical travel situations going to be dealt with? To make matters worse, these offices were replaced by administrative offices; this, Mr. Speaker, in the most prime patient care real estate in that hospital.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago there was close to $30 million in the capital plan earmarked for Stanton Territorial Hospital. That money disappeared last year from the capital plan and I hold the Minister responsible for that money not staying in the plan. Far too many decisions are being made on that facility in the absence of any long-term vision or plan for the hospital.
Over the past three years this government has paid off accrued deficits at that hospital in the magnitude of $18 million. Eighteen months ago the Minister came to committee with a plan to fight the deficit. Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, the deficit continues to bloom out of control at that hospital as well as at other health authorities across the Territory.
We need a remedy. Is the diagnosis chronic underfunding, loose billing practices, unfunded positions, poor management, or a combination of all of those? The bottom line is we need to find a way forward at Stanton.
My fear, Mr. Speaker, is that because of these burgeoning deficits, the public will be targeted by this government to pay more. I’ve been informed that management at the department and at Stanton are now planning to start charging people to use televisions in their hospital rooms, and also the department and hospital are looking at implementing a pay parking system at Stanton Territorial Hospital. Mr. Speaker, I hope they don’t take any lessons from the Department of Transportation on how that works at the Yellowknife Airport. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms Bisaro.
