Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate that question. I think in the last government this policy was looked at. However, to the $18 a day, that is -- those who are travelling, whether it be NIHB through Metis benefits or through our medical travel policy, if you're travelling for an insured service and you're covered through those policies, what we try to do is make sure they're equitable. NIHB is the guiding equitable rates that we use. And this is type of funding that we get. And most people that are travelling for medical travel, they're usually either travelling under that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now, access to specialized psychiatric services for children and youth continue to be challenging in our territory. While we do not currently have an in-patient pediatric psychiatry unit, children and youth in need of in-patient psychiatric care can be assessed and provided with basic treatment at Stanton Territorial Hospital. If there is need for, you know, more services, those would be referred through the health system outside. So to better meet the pediatric mental health needs, we also are utilizing the CYC staff which do provide connection when...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the scope of the pharmacists, they are as a working group working with the pharmacists that is help -- that has helped to get to this point. Right now, with the What We Heard report, that is where we are to do that. Like, all I can say is this is an important piece for the Northwest Territories. It is an important piece for us to free up, you know, some of our clinic space that we continuously hear about so that pharmacists can do their expanded scope as they do in many other jurisdictions. And as I mentioned, I will get back to the Member on the timeline for this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I will do is I will have my staff talk to the information protection of privacy, and we will get back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is more complex, and so in order for to get the okay, we have to go through the -- I think it's information systems. And so that is a critical part of this. The other piece is it's not connected to our EMR, and that is the system that they use for appointments in our EMR system, and they will not talk, and therefore it will duplicate work making more work for the frontline staff if there were more processes. We are looking at options in the interim; however, you know, we are just looking to replace our EMR. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the date, I don't have that information, so I'll get back to the Member for the date that that was set.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we are aware of the changes that have been done in Yukon, and Yukon's approach is unique and reflects its own priorities but it's helpful for us to look at. At this time, I'm not aware that the health sustainability unit is actively reviewing the Yukon model, but it's something that we can, you know, explore in the future. I know that they are reviewing the out of territory services, so we'll certainly look at what other jurisdictions are doing, including Yukon, to see what lessons we can learn from them, and this will be done in partnership with the...

We are going out to RFP for the schematic and designs, and if we can get that done quick, if it comes back quicker, then hopefully we can have it on the plan for next year. But I can't guarantee. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Right now, as it stands it would be open to nine beds, and we would be operating it as we did before. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we just agreed on a new collective agreement which increased more than nurses -- it increased all the nurses -- sorry, labour market supplement. It increased social workers. It added other health care providers in this collective agreement. So we have done that. Finance and the NTHSSA, through bargaining, did increase all those labour market supplements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.