Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I made the statement on Allisdair Leishman and the circumstances that we find him in at the Stanton Hospital currently. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
I’d like to know why the department has never formerly apologized about the breach of security that lead to this tragic incident. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not prepared to speak about a specific individual or specific case at this time. I will say that in 2011 there was an inquiry called on by the Department of Health and Social Services to look at the security and other issues at Stanton, and at that time a number of improvements were made to the security operations within Stanton, including more security in emergency. They increased the coverage in emergency. They installed some doors, locks and alarms so individuals can’t get into secure areas of the building like the kitchen, and they approved some of the operational responses for incidents of violence.
Obviously, in light of the issues that we’ve heard over the last couple months, more needs to be done and we are taking action on those as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The family has told me that, by their own admission, the people responsible for the extended care unit at Stanton Hospital don’t have adequate resources to fully care for Allisdair.
The GNWT is good at providing general health care, but it’s weak in the area of specialized care. Why doesn’t the Northwest Territories have a made-in-the-North facility for high needs people such as Allisdair Leishman? Mahsi.
Our long-term care facilities here in the Northwest Territories are staffed by competent professionals, including nurses and doctors, who actually can provide a wide range of services to individuals.
I would encourage any resident of the Northwest Territories who has concerns about their individual care to talk with their physicians to make sure that they are getting the services that they are entitled to in the Northwest Territories, and if they have any concerns about the quality within the facility, I would strongly encourage them to contact the quality assurance staff within the department to actually work through these issues to ensure that they’re getting the care and support that they do deserve. Thank you.
I understand that the extended care unit has a sterile feel. It’s not a homey environment.
Will the department commit to provide a more comfortable home-like environment for extended care patients such as Allisdair Leishman? Mahsi.
We’re actually currently going through the Stanton renewal which is going to result in a major construction and improvements and modifications to the Stanton facility. Part of that includes the development of a long-term care facility here in Yellowknife, which will actually be outside the building because they would have different defection control and other procedures that they’d have to adhere to. So there will be an enhanced long-term care facility here in Yellowknife and it will be similar to the high quality long-term care facility in Inuvik and the one that’s being built in Norman Wells and the one that recently opened in Behchoko and the ones south of the lake as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s clear that this government is experiencing inadequate programs and services for people such as Allisdair Leishman and mental health patients. Thus, there’s a challenge in the fiscal resources that are very limited.
What role does the federal government have in addressing the inadequate funding of mental health institutions and programs and services that the GNWT has currently been challenged to address the needs of the people of the NWT? Mahsi.
The responsibility of health and social services has been devolved down to the Government of the Northwest Territories. There are dollars coming through NIHB that are going to individual Aboriginal residents of the Northwest Territories for different aspects of their care, but it is the Government of the Northwest Territories for the provision of health services in the Northwest Territories. There is the health money that comes from Canada, which we understand is stabilizing. It’s not going to be increasing here in the Northwest Territories, but unlike other jurisdictions it’s not going to be decreasing as well. So it is a priority of the Government of the Northwest Territories to enhance our services and make sure our people are getting the best services they can here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
