Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister update the House as to our doctor levels for general family doctors, or GP doctors sometimes they're referred to; so in other words, can she tell us what the capacity is in the Northwest Territories currently operating and I'd certainly like to hear details with respect -- certainly with respect to Yellowknife. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from the Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With those questions coming at this time, I don't have that direct information on the floor, as doctor levels, staffing levels change all the time. And so what I've updated the Members in some of the written questions that recently were reported could have changed today, so I don't have that level of information here today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think on both sets she's keenly avoided the phrase I will provide the Member. So I will add hopefully she'll provide some detail.
Mr. Speaker, specific to doctors and replacements of doctors in the sense of vacancies, have any doctor been refused the opportunity to be a locum here in the Northwest Territories, certainly in the last while and certainly over the last few years, if possible. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these are questions that vary in the operations, and it's not something that I keep at my fingertips. So I know that we are constantly in recruitment of physicians and health professionals throughout our entire system; however, when there are -- you know, they have to meet certain criteria. They have to have registration and be able to practice. So, you know, I don't -- like, again, like I said the detail in this type of a question I don't have at my fingertips. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from the Yellowknife Centre.
Mr. Speaker, if a doctor is in good standing and retires and offers to be a locum in the Northwest Territories -- I am getting to the very specific point is -- has the department refused doctors from staying on as locums because they no longer wish to be full-time practitioners in that field? So if the Minister can't answer the question, could she at least provide the information in writing to me. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are many physicians who have left the territory and do return back and are locums. There are many physicians that are currently employed here in the territory that do not work full-time. And, you know, this is a conversation I just had today, actually, with my staff on looking at models, you know, within how to -- like, within our entire system, the workforce has changed. We have to be able to adapt. People want a work-life balance and that doesn't mean -- you know, in some sense that means, you know, they have family in the south and, you know, they have young children and they may want to only come and do shorter term contracts. And that's in all areas. So this type of information and these questions, you know, if the Member wants to send me a BF on specifics, I am glad to be able to respond to those. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Colleagues, our time is up for oral questions. Oral questions.
Colleagues, by authority given to me as the Speaker under Rule 2.2(4) I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider the business of the House.
