Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister, first, explain the basic rationale behind setting up the office of client experience and what have been its successes? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the office of client experience was to improve patient navigation service and support a better interaction with the health and social services system. The outcomes for the OCE include better awareness of client rights and responsibilities, improved client and family experience, streamline access to supports and services, making culturallysafe care experience for Indigenous clients and families a priority, increase access to cultural and language supports for clients, and building staff capacity for Indigenous client centered care and perspectives.
We anticipate the work of this office will result in better understandings of Indigenous clients and family concerns and issues. This will be supported by data tracking and qualitative analysis. We want to see system level actions and changes to ensure our health care system is meeting the needs of residents, and the office of client experience is critical to us understanding the improvements we can make to support that change.
So it's been over a year that this office was established, and we've had over a thousand requests that have been supported to date, and 65 percent of those have been from Indigenous people who identify as First Nations, Metis, and Inuit. And satisfaction survey results indicated that most people who used the service felt heard, respected, and culturally safe when accessing this service. The program is Indigenous designed and led with little staff turnover, and pathways have been established for building relationships with clients, families, and community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So does the Minister see any value in setting up an office, perhaps parallel to the office of client experience, but to advocate for health care providers in order to alleviate workplace frustrations and improve staff retention?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I do see the potential is some of the work that we're doing, the employee satisfaction survey, we have just completed. We don't have the results yet, but a lot of that could help drive some of these changes that, you know, the Member might be talking about. While most care staff are represented by labour organizations such as UNW, NWT Medical Association, who also advocate on their behalf, I really appreciate the Member bringing this idea forward. And I have had discussions with the Minister of Finance, my colleague, on discussing this further with the Member as well as the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister commit to examining the feasibility of setting up a task force on improvements for health care frontline staff? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I do see value in some type of a you know, something, whether it's a task force or whatever we call it, I'm not prepared to commit to taking this specific action today but I'm interested in, like I said, to continue this discussion and using some of the things that we have as well as I believe the work that needs that we've been doing with the engagement strategy for the health and social services system, and I believe this work needs to have an opportunity to launch and begin to have impacts as well. But we will also be renewing the health and social services human resource plan as the current plan has just ended. The next plan will give us an opportunity to refresh our understanding of what is needed to make some positive headway as we work to improve the recruitment retention of valuable health care workers in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my final question is, will the Minister report back to this House before the end of this sitting on whether she intends to set up a task force or some structure similar to what I've described today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not prepared to make that commitment for the end of this sitting as the Member we all know how busy we are during sittings and trying to be able to come with a plan within the next two weeks to be able to come to the floor. But I will bring forward to the Assembly a report of the health and social services system human resource plan that concluded on March 31st, and I will also work to ensure that dialogue begins on the new human resource plan which sets out the course in this area for the next several years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Clerk, can you pause the clock for a second.
Colleagues, I'm going to take a short break and I'll be back, because I have to make a phone call.
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Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
