Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of health, and it's quite simple. Mr. Speaker, what is our goal for primary care in the NWT?
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, to answer the Member's question, there have been systemic barriers in the health and social services system preventing Indigenous people from accessing the primary and community health care services they need. This results in disparity in health and wellness outcomes. These services could be delivered through team-based models of care that are responsive to their values and priorities. Therefore, a vision has been established, in collaboration with Indigenous communities, to address these disparities and focus on equity. And the department is committed to realizing this vision where Northwest Territories is a place where Indigenous people, including 2SLGBTQIPA+ individuals enjoy optimal physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and wellness. So the goal of primary health care reform is to ensure that all residents have access to culturally safe, team-based, primary and community care, and then to establish integrated care pathways to support seamless integration and continuity across various health and social services and levels of care. So we are mobilizing health and social services system staff and external shareholders to pursue that transformative community-driven approach to primary and community care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that incredibly detailed answer. My next question is, Mr. Speaker, if that is our goal, why have we not clearly articulated it -- and I might suggest being a bit more brief -- in the business plans? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, the business plans -- and I agree, sometimes when we get into the beginning of how we're going to do things in a new government, it's very -- in a way, may I say vague as to how we're going to get these things done. But I -- you know, and that's one of the reasons why I think just recently I sent a letter to the committee on a briefing for the primary health care reform which will be able to dive deep into some of the work that the department is doing and for Members to be able to ask questions and get the information that they need in a better way. And I encourage the Members to reach out to us to schedule that briefing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that offer. Certainly, I'll talk to my colleagues, and hopefully we accept that briefing.
Mr. Speaker, it's great to have a goal, but we also need to know when are we trying to achieve it by. So I appreciate that we are working to have equitable access for all NWT residents to primary care. I would suggest that we add the word universal, meaning everybody, has that access. But, Mr. Speaker, when are we -- when is that goal going to be achieved; when do we anticipate being able to tell every resident in the NWT that they have equitable access to health care? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we're all aware, health is every day of our life there's somebody that needs to access it. So as we are transforming through this, every person in the Northwest Territories has access to care, you know, whether it's through the walk-in clinics, whether it's through 811, whether it's through our emergency departments, when you get out to the small community there are the health centres and the regional centres, we have the emergency departments. You know, everybody has access to care. As through this transformation, this is work that is going to be ongoing, and I do not want to rush something and -- you know, and put the burden on, pressure on our staff. There's been a lot of changes just in this past year, and that change management has -- we have had some struggles with that. So we need to take it a day at a time and making sure that our staff are comfortable and understanding how we're changing the way that we're providing care to the Northwest Territories residents. So at this time right now, I won't say that this will be done X amount of days. I think as we move forward through this process, you know, it will be our residents saying, you know, that they're feeling that the system is changing, and that is the most important piece. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
