Sandy Lee

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to just ask that the Hansard be corrected to read “neurology.” That is what I said.

Mr. Speaker, we do have a contract with Capital Health so they can provide services that we cannot in the North. We don’t have special status with Alberta, but we do have access to service that Alberta and Capital Health gives to its own residents. My understanding is and we are aware that there is a shortage of beds and facilities all over the country, and sometimes we experience some difficulties. I would be happy to provide the Member with any details of the agreements he...

My understanding is that we get the same service that Alberta residents receive. If the Member would like to have a briefing on what kinds of contracts we have — what kind of service agreements we have with Alberta Health or any other organizations or governments that this government has contracts with — I’ll be happy to provide the Members on the other side with a briefing or any background information.

I think the Member is quite incorrect in saying that the patient was sent where the patient was not being treated. That is not correct, and that is questioning the capacity of doctors to do their work, Mr. Speaker. This patient — and I keep saying this — was monitored. She was being tested. It was important that she was monitored. She was being treated.

I think it’s quite inappropriate, actually, for us to talk about individual health situations, and I think it’s wrong for the Member to say this person was not treated. It is just that she didn’t have her own room. I understand, given her...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the information on what decisions were made to see whether it would have been better for the patient to be sent elsewhere or to be moved and on what condition. I don’t know any of that information. I’d be happy to undertake, for the Member, to have officials review this file and see what happened and whether there should be any steps taken.

There is no evidence to suggest that there is going to be a reduction in services because of the amalgamation of boards. There is no evidence to suggest that what happened to this particular patient has anything to do with amalgamation. Obviously, we as a government want to monitor this situation and make sure that we’re not affected negatively in that way.

Now, I think we have to keep in mind that Capital Health does provide us with very valuable services in many regards. Sometimes we run into problems. I could also advise the Member that I, in fact, talked to the Minister of Health in Alberta...

My understanding is that the receiving doctor at Capital Health decides where this patient should go. The decision was made that the patient should be sent where she went. Our agreement that we have with Alberta is that we are guaranteed the medical services that Alberta residents get, and that’s what we have.

Mr. Speaker, yes. In answering the Member’s question when he raised it for the first time in this session, I did commit to having my officials talk to the pharmacists. That was about seven days ago. We have not had a chance to do that. I don’t really have any feedback. I’d happy to undertake to consult widely not only on this but on some of the issues that the Members are bringing with the pharmacists to see if this is working and, if it’s not, what suggestions they may have to improve that.

Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to provide the information as to the work the staff did, the calls the nurses made to talk to the patient’s husband in Yellowknife as well as Northern Health Services Network staff this government has hired in Edmonton to help our northern residents who are sent there. I don’t have that information handy, but I would be happy to provide him information on the steps we took to assist with this situation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have that information. I’ll be happy to get that information to the Member. My understanding is that U of A and the Government of Alberta are investing a huge amount of money to make the U of A and the University hospital a centre of excellence and research in the country.