Sandy Lee

Notwithstanding this particular situation, most of the feedback we do receive is that we get very good service from Capital Health. Capital Health Authority and the services that the Government of Alberta provide are, I believe, among the best. I just don’t know where else we would go to get the services that our residents receive.

Mr. Speaker, we have a contract with the Capital Health Authority. They guarantee that NWT residents will receive the same level of medical care that Alberta residents will receive.

I did what I think the Member expects a Minister to do. When the patient’s husband called me at my office and told me what was going on, I directed the department to look into it. That is what I did. And I was advised of what was going on in between some of the actions the government was taking.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am responsible as the Minister of Health and Social Services and as a Member of this Assembly to respond to calls I get at my office, and that is what I did on Monday. I am willing to have the department review this file and also look to see what had happened and what we could do to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am always willing to take responsibility and apologize where necessary, but I am not sure if I could apologize on behalf of the services provided by the Government of Alberta. I am not the Minister in Alberta. These are decisions made by the doctor in Stanton and the doctor at the receiving end. I think it is unfortunate and regrettable that this situation happened. I believe that the department officials and the people responsible at this end did everything we could to help with the patient and the family.

I don’t have the detailed information. I believe our agreement is with the Government of Alberta. There might be some subagreements with Capital Health. What happened yesterday is unfortunate. We do want to see that that sort of situation does not happen. But I think it is really important, in the political forum that we are in, that these are medical decisions made by medical practitioners in Stanton and in Edmonton in the best interests of the patients.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it is important to note that it is not the Department of Health that makes the decisions on who gets sent to where for medical care. It’s the doctor at Stanton hospital who decided, because of her condition and her medical needs, that she needed to be sent to Edmonton. My understanding is that in most situations the doctor here communicates with a doctor in the receiving location to make sure they agree to take this patient.

Now, I think it’s also important to note that she did receive and she is receiving the care she needed; it’s just that she couldn’t have her...

Mr. Speaker, since the Member raised his question in February and as the letter I’ve provided him a copy of suggests, all the department has done is the most simplified and streamlined process that we could implement in as efficient a manner as possible.

The department has just asked that instead of asking the palliative care patients and physicians to fill out extra forms, as long as the doctor fills out the palliative care, then Green Shield will administer this and turn it around on a 24 hour basis. I’m advised that the pharmacists and other stakeholders have been communicated with in...

In light of the Member’s statement, I have to say I was quite surprised when I went to the FPT Health Ministers meeting to hear the Alberta Health Minister talking about the pressure on their system. They spend more money than anybody else in the country, but they have a growing population and a huge demand on services.

Obviously, the Minister took some drastic measures to address that. I don’t know the details of the government’s plan, but I took every opportunity I had to let him know of the importance of that Capital Authority and Alberta service in delivering health care services for the...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know what the Member means by “all indications.” I did get a call from the media telling me that the Member is suggesting I got an e-mail two weeks ago. I don’t have any such information, and I will make it clear: we do not have any information that says anything like the Member is suggesting. I don’t know what the Member is saying with “all indications.”

Once again, this is a medical decision made by the medical practitioner at Stanton, who felt that this patient needed to go to Royal Alexandra Hospital. That’s the decision that was made.

As I stated already, I’d be happy to meet with the Member or the Standing Committee on Social Programs to go over the contract we have and to have further discussion on it.