Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I’ve received conflicting information on funding for the Introduction to Advanced Nursing Practice Program at Aurora College. My question is for the Minister of ECE.
It is my understanding that the Department of Health and Social Services contributes support directly to this program, as well as indirectly through coverage of student tuition fees, and that ECE and the federal government may also be contributors, but obviously this needs clarification. I ask the Minister: what is the current and planned status of funding from these partners for this program?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The program that we deliver through Aurora College, the funding that’s required is $2.7 million from ECE to Aurora College for a bachelor of nursing, special work in nursing, health access programs. As well, Aurora College receives additional money from the Department of Health and Social Services in the amount of $511,000 to cover the masses of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner and Introduction to Advanced Practice programs. This is funding that’s been required for these programs.
Again I would ask the Minister: what is the status of these dollars? What is the current plan for the immediate and long-term future of these programs?
Part of our plan of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, working closely with Health and Social Services and also the college, is to continue delivering this program. If there are any changes in the program delivery or if there is an issue with the funding, then we definitely need to sit down and discuss our objectives and options and we’ll definitely let the Members know if there are any changes.
I haven’t heard the Minister talk about federal funding, although I have a communication from him indicating that will end and contribute to the end of the Nurse Practitioner Program, again conflicting with what I’m hearing today from the Minister just a day or two later. I’m looking for clarification. What is at least the status of the federal funding? Are we going to have that renewed, I’m going to ask the Minister on top of that.
The federal funding, I don’t have that information specifically. I just highlighted our department and Health and Social Services’ contribution to Aurora College. I will gather that information on federal funding, if it does exist, to the Members.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for the comments from the Minister on that. I’ll look forward to the details that he can provide.
I’d like to ask one last question. As far as the Minister knows, does the following commitment from Health and Social Services still stand? How does this reflect on the longevity of the program as planned? The GNWT is committed to increasing the number of NPs in the NWT. The Health and Social Services planning document also says, “Through Foundation for Change, we will focus on delivering the right services using the most appropriate service provider.” All too often we use high-cost service providers such as physicians to deliver primary care that would be more appropriately delivered by community health nurses or nurse practitioners. Obviously this speaks to the...
Do you have a question, Mr. Bromley?
I’m wondering if that commitment is still there and does the department still recognize that need.
Our GNWT and ECE are supportive of having more NPs in the Northwest Territories. We will continue to have this discussion with Health and Social Services on what kind of options are there. If there’s a budget issue or financial issue or program delivery is an issue, a number of students are in the program so those are discussions that we need to have. We have had contacts within the last couple of weeks, so we’ll continue to do that. With progress, we’ll let the Members know.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
