This is page numbers 845 - 886 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was services.

Topics

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yes, thanks, Madam Chair. That is good to hear, but I have raised this for, I think this is probably about the third or fourth year in a row now. When are we going to be at a point where we can have public reporting of wait times for a variety of medical services? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The information that we have, we do track wait times in many of the different services that we provide. This is something that the department can look into, because we need to improve wait times for any of the different services that we provide here. There is room for improvement. I understand that, and that is something that we can look at. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Is there a schedule, though? When could we expect to see public reporting on an annual basis, even, of wait times? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will turn it over to Mr. Cooper.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Cooper.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Cooper

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, the department and the system has been working and certainly recognizes the importance of reporting on wait times in a variety of areas. We have some areas where we are already reporting wait times. There are other areas that we are developing as part of the bilateral agreement with the federal government. We have an obligation to do public reporting on wait times around homecare, mental health, and performance indicators around that. We have been tracking wait times for audiology services, rehab services, and so, this is something that we are very much committed to. It's going to take us several years to get to a place where we have a robust wait time reporting process, but we are at a place now where we do have wait times available by programs, others that are coming on stream, and programs working away to try to do better in that regard. We can certainly make that listing available if MLAs wish to see a more fulsome briefing on that issue.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Cooper. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yes, thanks, Madam Chair. I would very much like to see that list. Can the Minister confirm that that would be provided? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that is something I can provide to the Member. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess one of the other big issues system-wide is recruitment and retention. I'm just wondering if I can hear if we're making any process on recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals across our whole system. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Recruitment for health professions is one of our priorities in the 19th Assembly, and this is something our department is looking at doing. As a result of COVID-19, we were able to repatriate a lot of nurses coming back from outside of the Northwest Territories, which is very promising, because we were able to then possibly even keep them. That is something that we are looking at. We need to meet our target. Our Assembly identified a target for the 19th Assembly, and that is something that we are working at. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Deh Cho.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Chair. My questions are related to RNANT/NU, the Registered Nurses Association of the NWT and Nunavut. I am aware that they are a governing body that governs registered nurses or nurse practitioners in the Northwest Territories. That whole body seems to be separate from the whole health department. I know that people before me have filed complaints to them. I think it goes to several other places, too. It could be to the leadership council chairman. It could be going to the department of health, but the majority is funnelled to RNANT/NU.

I even filed a formal complaint for three or four people back in November regarding problems with misdiagnosis, different causes, inappropriate comments to our Dene people. Those were being made in our health centre, but we weren't receiving responses. I asked those other people, too, who filed some back in May of last year, and they said they have never ever once received anything back from anyone to even acknowledge that they received their complaints and stuff like that. I am just wondering: what's the relationship between our health department and this governing body? If you could try to paint me a clear picture of what has happened there, I would appreciate that. Mahsi.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The complaints process is not straightforward. I'm going to maybe ask Mr. Cooper if he can talk about the process in detail.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Cooper.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Cooper

Thank you, Madam Chair. Two points to make on this. The first is that, as a regulatory authority, RNANT/NU has been granted, obviously, by this legislature, the right to self-regulate and the obligation to ensure that they have a complaint investigation and disciplinary process established that meets the rules of natural justice so that there is a good and fair complaint investigation process put in place. These things normally do take place behind a bit of a veil of confidentiality, as, once a complaint is laid, there are sometimes issues that might occur that might make it difficult for people to know everything that's happening. I guess the point here is that they are a standalone entity with their own professional regulatory investigation processes. Certainly, we are aware that there are many investigations that take place, but we do not receive reports about the status of investigations because of the independent nature of their role.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Cooper. Member for Deh Cho.