Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to my colleague for setting me up for questions that a little bit more granular than his.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me how many primary care same-day appointments are available in both Yellowknife locations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, same-day appointments are available in both the Liwego'ati Building and at the primary care centre location. That's the downtown location. There are approximately 24 available same-day appointments Monday to Friday which are offered during expanded hours until 9 p.m., and there are approximately 18 available same-day appointments on Saturday available from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Same-day appointments can be booked by calling first thing in the morning or by walk-in to the primary care centre. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. That's eye opening.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm that diagnostic imaging and lab services are still also available and first come/first serve at downtown primary care? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, outpatient lab collection services in Yellowknife that are provided at the primary care centre and at -- and they are provided at the primary care centre and at Stanton Hospital. In the fall of 2024, Stanton Hospital changed their lab services to an appointment only model, but I can confirm that there are reserved appointments for those who receive urgent same-day requests to seek this service. And, Mr. Speaker, the lab service offered at the downtown primary care clinic include walk-in and same-day option and a waitlist option. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member from Great Slave. Final supplementary.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my understanding that when you call for a same-day appointment in Yellowknife, you are assigned one location or the other, downtown or uptown. Can the Minister tell me how -- how same-day primary care appointments locations are selected and provided to someone who is calling in? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as mentioned, the same-day appointments are available at the Liwego'ati and Yellowknife Primary Care locations. There is one phone number to book appointments for both locations, and people are told which location they'll have an appointment when they book if it is the same day. These appointments are filled on a first come/first serve basis, and the location where you would go would be determined by the number of providers working that day and where they are working.
Mr. Speaker, we know that access to primary care is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being but knowing when and where to seek care is just as important. Primary care providers are often the first point of contact for medical concerns, offering routine checkups, preventative care, chronic condition management, and referrals to specialists when needed. However, not every health issue requires a visit to your primary care provider. In many cases, other health care professionals, like pharmacists or even telehealth services like 811, can provide the care you need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
