Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week the Minister of Health and Social Services talked about the plans for palliative care beds in Deline. Is the planning study expected to be completed by the end of this Assembly? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Speaker, we are planning to have individuals from the Department of Health and Social Services go into the community of Deline during the 2015-2016 fiscal year, which is the fiscal year coming up, to do the analysis and identify what kinds of needs exist in the community. We anticipate that information will be ready and available for discussion with committee during the ’15-16 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. So, in 2015-16 the needs assessment and analysis will be done for Deline palliative care beds in that community and that discussion will come forward for discussion for the ’15-16 infrastructure. Is that correct, Mr. Speaker?
That will give us the ability to insert it into the capital planning process, which the Member does know takes a bit of time. I do hear the Member clearly around palliative care. We want to make sure, where possible, individuals can be supported for palliative care in the communities. While we’re doing the planning study and we’re getting the information which we can have further discussion on, we are making sure that our staff are trained so that the communities can support palliative care where medically possible in our communities in individual’s homes for short periods of time. In Deline, by way of example, we do have equipment that can be shared on a temporary basis with residents who are providing palliative support.
Although the capital planning process is going to take a bit of time, this planning, this will help inform the capital process, and we are also doing things to make sure that we can provide palliative care in the community without beds until such time as we get through the capital process.
There are provisions, there are training resources in the community of Deline should an elder want to go back to the community for their final resting area. Are there provisions and resources in that community that people are trained to look after their loved ones?
At this time, depending on the medical condition of a person, whether they’re an elder or whether they’re a young person who wishes to return to their community and die in their community, we can provide palliative care for certain conditions. There are some conditions that we’ll probably never be able to provide palliative care for, for a person who wishes to die in their community, because of the extreme medical needs of some. But for certain medical conditions we can do it now. Yes.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Is there any funding in the provisions to train and assist local people in the community of Deline to look after their loved ones in times of need?
There isn’t a specific fund for that but there are different types of training that are available to all residents of the Northwest Territories. Things like First Aid, Medical First Aid, and Mental Health First Aid. There are a number of programs that are available. But as far as specific palliative care training, no, there isn’t. But we do have some dollars in our budget that allow staff to put in some overtime to provide some one-on-one support to families and the patient if needed.
Just a reminder, this is palliative care for short periods for certain medical conditions. It certainly can’t cover all conditions.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
