Hon. Nellie Cournoyea's return to Question W21-12(2), asked by Mr. Antoine on March 2, 1992:
a) The purpose of the community health services and facilities review is to identify options for the provision of services and improve the quality of these services. The review consists of three phases: Phase 1, information and data collection/verification and development of the health services profile, by April 30, 1992; Phase 11, review of health services profile, identification of opportunities and development of service delivery options, by May 31, 1992;Phase 111, development of an action plan and implementation plan, by June 30, 1992. A team of two persons headed by a consultant from the hospital and health facilities division of the department is collecting community information and data.
b) It would be premature for the department to summarize plans for the continued delivery of services by a qualified medical practitioner at the Fort Simpson Hospital. No decisions can be made on this matter until the community profile is completed and further discussions with key respondents in Fort Simpson have taken place.
c) The Department of Health's position on evacuation of obstetrical patients recommends that pregnant women be transferred to the nearest hospital for the safe delivery of their infants. The Department of Health also has a directive whereby the regional health/hospital board may consider elective community birthing if there is a registered nurse, midwife with lots of experience working in a specific community health centre. The directive outlines, in detail, specific conditions in which the competent nurse-midwife may elect to deliver in the community. A physician associated with the specific health board would also be consulted if an elective community birth were to be considered.
d) The department does not have a strategy for the delivery of long-term care services through a home care model. Strategic planning will be based on the results of the current review.
e) A copy of the 1985-86 document titled "Aged, Disabled, and Chronically III" report has already been provided to you under separate cover.
f) The department is unable to provide you with a summary of public discussions on the development and implementation of a model for home care delivery in small communities, as per recommendation 22 in the "Aged, Disabled, and Chronically III" report completed seven years ago.