Debates of October 27, 2006 (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve shared some information, and again it gets back to my Member’s statement, with a constituent who continues to suffer, not being given a diagnosis yet as to his condition. I have shared that information with the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’d like to again question the Minister on this case. The first question I have, Mr. Speaker, is does the Northwest Territories have a policy to deal with what we would deem acceptable levels for wait times for a diagnosis and subsequently a treatment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the acceptable wait times and reducing wait times is an issue that all jurisdictions are facing; in fact, working together with the other jurisdictions and the federal government to try to come up with a program that would reduce wait times people face throughout our systems. As for the Northwest Territories, I don’t have the specifics and I’d have to get some detail on that, then I can provide that to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Northwest Territories doesn’t have a policy that states quite clearly what acceptable levels of wait times are, then I’d suggest we get one immediately. Because my constituent has been suffering for three years, the Department of Health and Social Services' answer to that is to put him on another wait list to make him wait another two years. it’s completely unacceptable, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, precedent has been set in other provinces across this country where if an individual has to seek medical attention outside the country they do so. When they come back, the cost of the medical treatment for that individual is covered by the province. I’d like to ask the Minister, could he have his staff at Health and Social Services look into this practice that takes place in other provinces? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we already follow a similar pattern and process that other jurisdictions do. If a service is not available in our jurisdiction in the Northwest Territories, then we would set up a process where an individual can receive those services out of our jurisdiction. The majority of patients that move from the Territories, if we can’t provide a service, would go through Alberta, sometimes into B.C. or other jurisdictions. As well, if there are not services available in Canada we would look at providing that service outside of Canada and being covered by our health care system. That is all within the system that is in place, and, again, the approvals have to be made and referrals made by the doctors. In this case it’s not like the individual’s been out there without seeing a doctor. There’s been numerous visits, numerous levels of checks. Unfortunately the wait times in some of these other facilities are high because they are very specific in nature and they're a high level of specialty, and it’s something that we continue to try to work with and come up with a solution. There have been solutions made; unfortunately not to the satisfaction of this individual. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what steps he, as the Minister of Health and Social Services, can take for my constituent so that he doesn’t have to continue to be on a wait list for a program in Calgary so that he can get some treatment. I’d also like to ask the Minister if in fact he can sit down with his staff at Health and Social Services to come up with a more effective game plan for the treatment of this individual. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. A couple of questions there. The Minister may answer one or both. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the process works for referrals from one doctor to another, one jurisdiction to another, it requires having a doctor in our jurisdiction make that referral. As Minister, the process as established through our professionals is something that I would endorse. As for the department meeting, myself sitting down with the department to look at this specific case, I’ve begun that process to look at this. Ultimately again, as I stated earlier in another round of questions, I would work with the professionals in this field to see what we can do. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This individual’s been in pain and suffering for three years. He’s in the process of going to India, all the way to India, to get treatment for a condition in his back. Mr. Speaker, I want the Minister to make a commitment. It’s been three years and I think it’s an acceptable level of service if that individual has to take that step to go to India when he comes back that this government cover the medical portion of his visit to India so that he can get the help that he obviously can’t get here in Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 207-15(5): Medical Treatment Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our process for dealing with patients who cannot receive care in Canada is one that’s laid out. It’s used by other jurisdictions as well. In this case there are programs available in Canada that can be accessed and I’m not willing to go into a blow-by-blow scenario of what’s been done in this specific case. Much has been done and we will continue to work with this case to try and bring some conclusion to it. But, as Minister, I will not intervene and direct our medical staff to send individuals to different countries and so on. I will still be using the established practice that is in place but, as I already committed previously, I will sit down with the department to see what we can do in this case to try and help expedite that. But it’s not a case of not being referred. We have had doctors in our jurisdiction make the necessary referrals to try and help this patient along. Thank you.