Thank you. Today in my Member’s statement I talked about the issue of organ transplant policy or, I should say, the lack thereof, and the difficulties some people have had following through in the process. That is pre-op care and certainly the medical travel process, as well as the follow-up from the post process, whether it’s about getting medication signed off, whether it’s getting the proper travel, about getting them back on time including loved ones. So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t necessarily blame the Minister in any way specific to this problem, but the Minister is well aware of this particular issue. So I’m asking the Minister of Health and Social Services, would she do a review of the lack of policy in this particular case and see if we can set something up and perhaps maybe announce a direction by Organ Donor Week that is coming up in April? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government supports organ and tissue donations. We are involved with Canadian Blood Services, who is currently in the process of establishing a national registry so that it would help connect donors with people who need organ transplants.
The Member brought the matters that he is talking about today to my attention a few months back. There was a little bit of a hiccup there, but we did resolve that. The fact is, organ transplants are very rare in the Territories. Our residents do receive organ transplants, but a donator being from the NWT is very rare and I think that is one of the reasons why the process didn’t go as smoothly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t think there is a need for changes in any of the policies, because our Medical Policy is very generous and anybody who needs a service at a hospital or medical facility is entitled to coverage for their medical travel and associated costs. So that will be the case going forward. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, as rare as compliments are from this side of the House, I should make sure it is very clear that the Minister was extremely helpful on this particular case straightening out. I think that needs to be acknowledged in this particular case. It can’t be forgotten. But the issue I am trying to raise, without trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill, is the fact that we don’t have a clear policy. Because when this particular family -- and I am aware of another family just starting in the process of the same type of issue -- is the lack of clarity on this. So we need a clear policy that says if you are either a donor or you require a transplant, it follows this particular process that everyone understands and is clear. That is what I am asking for, if the Minister would engage in that type of initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, anyone from the North who is interested in donating an organ, they will have to go through a very complicated medical procedure for any organ donation. That is definitely a medical and hospital care and so they are entitled to all of the coverage and medical travel that they would require. The benefits are there. Programs are there. I will make sure that staff know that that is an eligible service. The policy allows it. We just need to make sure that it is enforced. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister is referring to the Medical Travel Policy as the one-fit solution to every problem, Mr. Speaker. In this particular case, their loved one who had to be their escort was denied. They had trouble getting down for the pre-op surgery in advance of the actual surgery. They had troubles being booted out of the hospital in Edmonton and being told that if they didn’t get back on a certain date, even though the hospital in Edmonton had said they had to stay for a follow-up, they were told that they were going to be cut off. Now, again, I don’t sort of saddle the Minister with this particular problem, but that is the issue that I am trying to raise. Would the Minister help work and develop an organ transplant policy specific to this issue? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the length of stay of a person who needs any medical procedure is determined by the providers and the physicians and health care professionals that oversee that. From time to time we have people who question how that is applied, but that is a normal part of our delivery system. We work to sort that out as they happen. My point is, anyone who is going to be donating an organ that requires, obviously they would require hospital and medical services, they will be covered. They will get the benefit of all services. Whether it be medical travel or any associated services, they will get that. I will make sure that our staff is aware that anyone else who is good enough to donate an organ, that they will get the assistance they need. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the spirit and the intent of what the Minister is saying, but, Mr. Speaker, the issue really came down to things like the doctor said that this particular person needed an escort. Medical travel denied it. It took the Minister’s intervention to say, wait a minute, this is wrong. Down in Edmonton, the hospital said this person had to stay due to a follow-up because of the tearing of tissue if they moved too much. Medical travel denied that too. That is why I am asking for a clear policy that lays out when even doctors say something is necessary, they follow through that. Would the Minister see that issue as for what I am trying to lay out and see if we can work out a clear policy that helps people through the system? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Member is giving me too much credit. I don’t usually intervene and order anybody to approve an escort. I believe we have a program in place where it has a clear guideline as to who is eligible for medical travel and a medical escort. There are occasions, not just in organ donation procedures but in other medical procedures. There is sometimes lack of agreement on what is needed. That is just par for the course that we need to… That is part of health care’s delivery system that is managed by human beings. There is a difference of opinion as to what constitutes a need for escort. But my point, Mr. Speaker, is that anybody who is going to donate an organ for transplant, that is a medical procedure and they will get all of the services that are available within our health care system. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
