Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today I will table two important publications "Shaping our Future 2006-2010" and the supporting document "Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Action Plan 2006-2010."
The document "Shaping our Future 2006-2010" is a strategic plan that addresses the influences on and challenges of our system, and provides goals and strategic directions for NWT health care. The strategic plan is based on the integrated services delivery model, a model for delivery of health care services including mental health and addictions, diagnostic services, rehabilitation services, protection services, continuing care and promotion and prevention.
The strategic plan is intended to provide a focal point for developing a shared commitment to providing people of the NWT with the best possible health care and social services. Its strategies help us to improve the health of NWT residents by encouraging them to make healthy personal choices.
The document "Action Plan 2006-2010" provides information and timelines on the initiatives that arise from the strategic plan and supports the goals and strategic directions laid out in that plan.
A significant part of the strategic plan is the Healthy Choices Framework. This is a collaborative and coordinated approach to health promotion. Examples of initiatives that assist us in preventing unhealthy behaviours include NWT Tobacco Strategy, Healthy Eating and Active Living Strategy and Sexually Transmitted Infection Strategy.
In addition to the public health initiatives noted above, we are working to expand the use of licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners and midwives to address workload issues and improve client care.
We are recruiting new rehabilitation teams to offer expertise in speech and language therapy, audiology and physiotherapy and to help reduce wait times for rehabilitation services. These rehabilitation teams will be stationed in the South Slave region, Beaufort-Delta region,
Yellowknife and the Stanton Territorial Hospital. They will be travelling on a regular basis to communities within their catchment area.
Mr. Speaker, "Shaping our Future 2006-2010" and "Action Plan 2006-2010" provide the direction to ensure health care needs for NWT residents are being met. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause