Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network Meeting
With the Minister of Health
Hon. Jamie Muir
Thursday, July 25, 2002
Good morning Hon. Minister. My name is Debbie Kelly, Chairperson of the Nova
Scotia Citizens Health Care Network. We
would like to thank you for the long awaited opportunity to meet with you face to face and
discuss a few crucial issues facing us as Nova Scotians today. Our brief submission is substantial and is
inclusive of the Network members who worked on this brief.
However, are meeting comments will be limited to summaries of each
presentation.
We direct you to view the many years
of dedication and hard work our Network has dedicated to building a true coalition of
members and organizations across this province and to the many achievements and struggles
we faced and continue to face by standing up to save and improve medicare in our province
and in our country.
The members of the Nova Scotia
Citizens' Health Care Network are concerned as consumers of health care and as health care
providers over the status of health care in this province.
We are here today to meet and discuss two of our issues:
ü Private MRI Clinic and
ü Single Entry Access
While there are other equally
important issues, these two concerns are the priority at this time. Our concerns
require government immediately to take action to stop this specific clinic and
any other private clinics from ever opening its' doors. Contrary to media
reports, citizens in this province stand firmly behind their publicly funded health care
system. While the Single Entry Access is a panacea, a breakthrough, it is facing
major problems with implementation and accessibility.
The Department of Health should be
working with the community organizations and health care unions to plan, organize and
strategize to administer the "best" health care in Canada, supporting the five
(5) Principles of the Canada Health Act, and ensure "dignity" for the people of
this province while living and in dying. There are a number of ways to achieve
reductions of wait lists and affordability of long-term care. We believe
that the government must take its responsibility seriously and halt private MRI
clinics. The end result will see this province enjoying the
benefits of happier and much healthier population.
I would like to now introduce the
members of the Network present and the agenda item that each will be speaking on:
Private
MRI
- Anne
Smith, Shelburne Community Action Committee
- Heather
Henderson, President Nova Scotia Nurses Union
Single
Entry Access
- Betty Jean
Sutherland, President CUPE Nova Scotia Division
- Peggy
Brown, Disabled Individuals Alliance
- Ian
Johnson, Vice-Chairperson NSCHCN
Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network Meeting
Thursday, July 25, 2002
10:00 a.m.
Mr. Minister, Mr. Ward,
Ms. Doiron, I want to thank you for meeting with us today.
With regard to the impending opening of the private for-profit clinic in
Halifax offering Magnetic Resonance Imaging and similar services, we believe our concerns
are well founded, well-researched, and evidence-based, and I trust you will give careful
consideration to our recommendations and the attached sources.
Mr. Minister, I was present at the Romanow Commission hearings in Halifax in April when you commented that this province is in desperate need of radiologists.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Private for-profit MRI
clinics do not propose to educate and train radiologists. They simply raid those that our
publicly funded education and health care systems have produced, pirating resources while
charging taxpayers at an inflated rate for an already-paid-for insured service.
CONCLUSION: We consider this situation to be contrary to the spirit and intent of Canada's Medicare system. To quote the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR): "Commercialism is incompatible with professionalism. Medical care should be the responsibility of physicians and not businessmen."
RECOMMENDATION: To
alleviate immediate needs, we strongly recommend preventing the opening of the raiding
private clinic and those that follow; the development and implementation of a retention
and repatriation program for Canadian radiologists, and for the future, an increase in the
number of residency positions in radiology.
REFERENCE: CAR
"Looking Ahead" (Attached)
The Canadian Association of
Radiologists has made submissions to the Romanow Commission and the Kirby Committee
strongly opposing private for-profit non-physician owned medical facilities, and
recommending that all private diagnostic-imaging services be controlled by physicians and
funded by the health care system. They are asking the federal government to consider
restricting OWNERSHIP of these clinics to medical doctors - with equipment funded by the
feds, and the health system paying for the
service. Sounds like a profitable arrangement to me.
As the official voice of Canadian radiology, CAR claims the support of 9
official partners, including Cook Diagnostic and Interventional Products, GE medical
Systems, Toshiba, Kodak, etc. The website is
www.car.ca
SAFETY
MRI units present a safety hazard in an unregulated environment. The intense static magnetic field is always present even when the scanner is not imaging, turning magnetizable objects, tiny or large, into projectiles or missiles that can cause injury or death. Quality Management, Monitoring, Inspections, Regulations - all are essential for risk management. Has the Minister given written approval and registration for this facility? for the installation and inspection of the equipment? provided an inspector? established a commission to develop safety codes and hear appeals? Do we have legislation and regulations?
In Ontario, under regulations in the Regulated Health Professionals Act and the Healing Arts Radiation Protection Act, both MRIs and CT scans may be performed only if authorized by a licensed physician. This opens up the "medically necessary" debate: will physicians refer patients for medically unnecessary services, leading to a breach of professional ethics?
CONCLUSION: If a private
company offers medically unnecessary (and potentially hazardous) services, and fails to
provide controls, then responsibility and liability must be shared by a government, and in
particular a health department, that has allowed the company to open and operate.
RECOMMENDATIONS: We
recommend that effective regulations, with penalties, be put in place prior to the
procedures being carried out in a potentially unsafe environment without proper and proven safeguards.
REFERENCES: "Medical Device Interactions with MRI Systems" U.S. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services FDA. The Toronto Star, Sun. July 21, 2002 Item "MRI rules
raise legal concerns; MDs
must ok user-pay scans"
COSTS, CONTROLS,
COMMITMENTS
The Calgary Health Authority laid down in detail strict terms, requirements and guidelines with the onus on the company to provide radiologists and staff.
CONCLUSION: In Nova
Scotia it appears there are no similar controls. Out-of-pocket costs for medically
necessary procedures and exams at private clinics across the country - with the notable
exceptions of Manitoba and Saskatchewan - are escalating.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Costs
must be kept down by providing the more cost efficient, reliable, and safe public system
with adequate resources.
A firm policy and a
commitment to defend the system against private for-profit operations and incursions must
be in place.
We strongly and urgently
recommend that you prevent "MRIs for Sale" marketing ventures from opening, or
Nova Scotia will soon be inundated with breakaway "clinics" sporadically staffed
by moonlighters.
REFERENCES: MRI Services Provider Agreement between Calgary Regional Health Authority and Western Canada MRI Centre
"About Us: The
Canada Diagnostic Centres (formerly Western Canada MRI Centre)"
"It is hereby declared that the primary objective of Canadian health care policy is to protect, promote and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada AND TO FACILITATE REASONABLE ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES WITHOUT FINANCIAL OR OTHER BARRIERS."
Canada Health Act
Heather Henderson, President Nova
Scotia Nurses Union
Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network Meeting
With the Minister of Health
Thursday, July 25, 2002
10:00 a.m.
#1. Recent editorials and media reports
indicate that experts and private citizens have expressed approval of the proposed
clinic, so that this new "option" should lessen the strain on the public system
and shorten wait lists and wait times for publicly funded MRI services. Our concern
is the potential and even the expectation on the part of the clients who access the
private clinic to "jump the queue" for specialist appointments and treatment if
their private diagnosis results in a recommendation for treatment or further investigative
services. This completely contravenes the principles of accessibility and
comprehensiveness of the Canada Health Act, wherein access should not be limited to those
with the dollars to pay.
#2. Allowing this clinic to open and be operated as a for - profit venture represents just
the beginning of the introduction and acceptance of privatized health care. In June,
at the Canadian Nurses Association Annual
meeting I heard the Federal Health Minister Anne MacLellan assert that the responsibility
to allow or disallow privatization in any province rests absolutely with the provincial
government officials....the Provincial
Minister of Health. We urge you to take a leadership role and prevent this private clinic
from opening as a for- profit venture.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS:
#1. Rather than allow a for-profit clinic, look to the attached example of the
successful approach taken in Manitoba, where a private clinic was taken over
by the provincial government and provides appropriate and necessary services to any
Manitoban in need, regardless of ability to pay under the publicly
funded system.
Attachments:
April
02, 2001
INNOVATIVE,
MADE-IN-MANITOBA MODEL FOR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY ANNOUNCED
Pan Am Clinic Joins The WRHA
The
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and the Pan Am Clinic have agreed to convert the
facility into a non-profit operating division of the WRHA. Manitoba Health supports the
innovative agreement which will enhance Pan Am Clinics responsive, cost-effective,
high quality care.
Converting
the Pan Am Clinic to the public system will require a $4 million investment by
Manitoba Health to buy the building, equipment and operating rooms.
This
new made-in-Manitoba service model provides cutting edge treatments and state of the art
technology within the publicly funded health care system. Health Minister Dave Chomiak,
WRHA CEO Dr. Brian Postl and Pan Am Clinic CEO Dr. Wayne Hildahl made the announcement
today at the Pan Am Clinic.
"This
made-in-Manitoba approach highlights the way our public system can better serve Manitobans
by integrating these innovative medical practices," said the minister. "This
unique plan complements other health services and demonstrates that cutting-edge services
can be delivered under the public umbrella."
In
addition, a $3.3 million expansion will double the size of the Pan Am Clinic so it can
increase services and continue attracting physicians, surgeons, physiotherapists and other
health professionals to the state of the art facility.
The
30,000-square-foot addition will increase the volume of day surgeries the clinic can
handle and provide more space for supportive medical services. Pan Am will become an
important part of the WRHAs efforts to take advantage of modern surgical procedures
and the growth of day surgeries as a preferred medical option.
"This
provides the right service in the right place at the right time and ultimately provides
improved health services through the publicly funded health system," noted Postl.
"This is a unique undertaking that is beneficial for both the WRHA and the Pan Am
Clinic."
The
Pan Am Clinic began operations in 1979 focusing on athletes and sports related injuries.
It has evolved to deliver musculo-skeletal medicine including primary care, orthopedics,
rheumatology and other related services. Through ongoing reinvestment in equipment and
services, the clinic has established itself as a preferred medical environment offering
cutting edge treatments and state of the art technology.
"The
planned expansion provides a response to an increased demand for our services," said
Hildahl. "Evolving into a not-for-profit medical facility provides more services,
enhances patient care and supports existing health care services."
The
WRHA board of directors will oversee the operations of the clinic and Pan Am Clinic staff
will be accountable within the WRHA management structure. As a not-for-profit speciality
care facility, the clinic will receive revenue from facility fees paid by the WRHA, rental
income from tenants, and fees from third party insurers such as the Workers Compensation
Board of Manitoba and Manitoba Public Insurance. Any year-end operating surpluses will now
be reinvested in the clinic to maintain its standing as a preferred medical environment.
-
30 -
Pan Am Clinic
Background
Information
The
more efficient use of resources at Pan Am Clinic will help to address waiting lists.
-------------
September
19, 2001
PAN AM CLINIC DOUBLES SURGERIES
- - -
Innovation Within Manitoba's Public Health Care System: Chomiak
Manitoba
today launched a unique model of health care delivery blending the principles of the
public health care system with an entrepreneurial spirit.
As
a result, approximately 800 surgical procedures will be redirected to the Pan Am Clinic
from Health Sciences Centre and the clinic will take on an additional 700 procedures from
waiting lists as a non-profit, responsive and cost-effective option for delivering
high-quality health care in Manitoba.
The
announcement of the additional 1,500 surgical procedures was made today by Health Minister
Dave Chomiak, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) CEO Dr. Brian Postl and Dr. Wayne
Hildahl, CEO of the Pan Am Clinic.
"This
is a made-in-Manitoba service model that provides Manitobans with a state-of-the-art
facility for day surgery within the public health system," said Health Minister Dave
Chomiak. "This model gives our system the tools it needs to ensure were using
our resources more effectively by matching care needs to facility strengths."
Surgical
procedures now being booked at Pan Am include arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of
the knee, ankle, wrist, hand, elbow and shoulder, tendon repairs, and lacerations and
facial fracture repairs. The additional 1,500 surgeries will be added to Pan Ams
existing surgical slate of an average of 1,500 surgeries per year.
"Pan
Am gives us more flexibility to provide the care our patients need," said Postl.
"It adds to the mix of tertiary and community facilities that provide different
levels of care and gives us the ability to deliver the right care in the right place at
the right time."
"Todays
announcement is one more step towards my dream of establishing Pan Am as a world class
centre of excellence for day surgery," noted Hildahl. "Im delighted to
blend our expertise and experience within the public health care system where we can
continue to provide high quality, responsive services."
The
integration of the Pan Am Clinic into the WRHA creates an innovative and flexible model of
health care delivery. Lower overhead costs and specialized expertise allow Pan Am to
provide a range of outpatient surgical procedures that are best suited for the facility.
Bringing this capacity into the public health care system is part of an effort to perform
more day surgeries in lower-cost, patient-friendly settings and to use hospitals for more
complex procedures. This approach responds to medical advances that allow more surgeries
to be performed on a day surgery, out-patient basis.
"I
anticipate that the role of Pan Am will continue to grow and evolve and provide our public
health care system with more options to improve care," noted the minister. "This
cutting edge model not only provides excellent care but helps attract and retain
outstanding surgical talents."
-
30 -
----------
Subject:
[OHC] For Profit MRIs and CT Scanners Grave Threat
Health
Minister Tony Clement announced that bidding will open later this summer for up to 20 MRI
clinics and 5 CT scan clinics. Bids will be open to for-profit corporations.
This announcement marks the privatization of key hospital diagnostic services
provided currently on a non-profit basis. Clement is also cited in the National Post
newspaper as saying that non-OHIP funded MRIs will be available at the clinics (2 Tier
Medicare) thereby opening the door to queue jumping for those with the ability to pay. The
following release contains the Ontario Health Coalition's response to the announcement.
Please
send your responses to the following:
Ernie
Eves:
ernie_eves@ontla.ola.org or webprem@bov.on.ca
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Toronto
Star -
lettertoed@thestar.ca
Globe
and Mail - Letters@GlobeAndMail.ca
Issued:
July 8, 2002
For
Profit MRIs and CT Scanners Extremely Grave Threat
Ontario
Health Coalition Warns of Public Response
Toronto
- The Ontario Health Coalition reacted with outrage over Health Minister Tony Clement's
announcement of the opening of for-profit bidding on 25 MRI and CT scan machines for
Ontario. With this announcement, the provincial government has made clear its
intention to take non-profit public hospital services and fund for profit corporations to
provide them in private clinics.
"Stubbornly
clinging to an ideological approach with no public mandate and no
outcome-based evidence, the provincial government is risking the future of our
public Medicare system and must be stopped, said Irene Harris, coalition co
chair. "We view this announcement as an extremely grave threat to the future of
our Public Medicare system and will respond in kind."
-
The Minister still has not justified creating for-profit cancer treatment at
Sunnybrook Hospital in the face of a Provincial Auditor's report that found that the
for-profit treatment was more expensive and that waiting lists had not changed.
-
Similarly privatized eye treatment in Alberta has proven to be ineffective against
waiting lists. The Alberta Consumer's Association reports that waiting lists for
cataract surgery in Alberta is longest and costs are highest in centres where the
proportion of private clinics is highest:
-- In Calgary where most surgeons work and where all
cataract surgery is done in private
facilities,
Albertans had a 56% chance of having surgery in less than 12 weeks.
-- In Edmonton where most cataract surgery is done in
public facilities, Albertans had an 87%
chance of having surgery in less than 12
weeks
-- In Lethbridge where all cataract surgery is done in
public facilities, 100 % of patients had
surgery in less than 12 weeks.
(Consumers Association of Canada - Alberta Branch, March 1999.)
-
The government has not answered in any way what will be done if the private MRIs and CAT
scans drain scarce personnel out of the public system as we have seen in the case of other
privatizations.
-
The government's claims about keeping OHIP services public are spurious as allowing
out-of-pocket payment for "non-medically necessary" services amounts to 2 tier
Medicare or queue jumping for those with the least medically pressing conditions and the
wealth to pay to jump the queue.
-
Last summer's so-called health survey used as justification in the Ministry press
announcement today included not a single mention of providing services on a for-profit
basis versus as a public service.
"The
government has run two consecutive elections on a promise not to dismantle Medicare.
Yet the hand-over of public services to private for-profit corporations is as sure
a way of destroying Medicare as any", added Bea Levis from the Ontario Coalition of
Senior Citizens' Organizations. "Experience from around the world is that
profit seeking in a publicly funded health system drives up costs and leads to two-tier
Medicare with deterioration of services and longer waits for most people."
Ontario Health Coalition
15 Gervais Drive, Suite 305
Toronto, ON M3C 1Y8
Tel: 416-441-2502 Fax: 416-441-4073
Email: ohc@sympatico.ca
www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca
Pamela Cowan
The Leader-Post (Regina)
Thursday, July 11, 2002
Saskatchewan will not follow an Ontario trend and allow private MRI and CT clinics
to open, a Saskatchewan Health official said Wednesday. Ontario's Health Minister Tony
Clement announced Monday that private firms, including foreign-owned ones, can submit
proposals to operate one or more of the 20 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and
five computed tomography (CT) machines the province will licence. "As the Action Plan for Health Care that was
released last December stated, the government's position is to continue to support a
publicly-funded, publicly-administered health system and that's still the basic position
of the government," said Duncan Fisher, assistant deputy minister of health.
Saskatchewan has three MRIs -- two in Saskatoon and one in Regina. The province's seven CT
scanners are located in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert
and a mobile unit serves Moose Jaw and Swift Current. As of January 2002, there were 3,000
Saskatchewan residents waiting for an MRI
and 2,000 on the list for a CT scan.
Emergency treatments are done immediately and urgent exams are done within a
couple of weeks, Fisher said. "The people primarily on the waiting list are those who
have been classified as non-urgent. ... We've done quite a bit over the last number of
years to expand capacity in Saskatchewan." In 1992-93 about 1,500 MRI scans were done
in the province. That number has increased to approximately 13,000 exams done yearly. Similarly, CT scans increased from 32,000 in
1992-93 to 66,000 scans in
2001-02. "As resources become available
we'll invest them in the public system to
continue to improve access to services like diagnostic imaging," Fisher said.
"This is something that we recognize as an issue and something we will continue to
work on." Too few physicians, radiologists and technologists to run the machines are
a
big concern, Fisher said. "It's actually
one of the reasons why we're concentrating on the public sector -- we want to make sure
that the human resources out there are used
in the public sector. There are concerns that if a private clinic were to be established
then they would siphon off some of the people that would be available to work currently in
the public sector and we'd have even more difficulty recruiting and retaining staff."
Fisher estimates the price tag on a new MRI is about $1.8 million and costs approximately
$1 million to run eight hours a day for a year.
Ken
Brown, Atlantic Director (Nova Scotia) Federal Superannuates Branch
For
Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network Meeting
With the Minister of Health
Thursday, July 25, 2002
10:00 a.m.
As
the representative of seniors on the Healthcare Network, I have been asked to address the
issue of Single Entry Access.
As
a member of the Group of IX, members of your department have briefed me on the Single
Entry Access program during the past two years. This enabled me to have a
working knowledge of the objectives, design, development and implementation of the system.
I am aware of the complexity of the system and the problems that have been
encountered in getting the system up and running province-wide. I have been briefed
on the results of the demonstration project in District 7 & 8 in 2000.
More recently, in fact during the
past week, I have had the opportunity to discuss the S.E.A. system with Valerie White, a
member of the Provincial Advisory Committee and Karl Nightingale, Co-coordinator Dartmouth
Community Health Board. Mrs. White loaned me the minutes of a recent meeting of the
Advisory Committee and a copy of the Livision 2 of the S.E.A. Case Management Model.
Mr. Nightingale provided me with a copy of the Long Term Care Facility Placement
Policy, which we reviewed together.
I now have had the opportunity to
become acquainted with the current status of the S.E.A. System. As I said earlier,
it is a very complex system. Although to the client, it's designed to be quite
simple, one call to a 1-800 number provides access - but beyond that lies the assessment
process - not quite as simple, but time does not permit us to have further
discussions.
In the interest of brevity, I
would like to raise the 3 main concerns of seniors and their families in relation to this
program:
1. First and foremost, the very
high "per diem" rates for nursing home care.
Q: does the province have any
long-range plan to reduce this cost, by insuring the nursing care component of long-term
care?
2. The placement problem - in
light of our aging population and the resulting increased demand for cursing care beds:
Q: does the province plan to
increase the number of nursing care beds in the near future?
3. The shortage of
adequately trained staff in the home care field.
Q: how does the
department plan to overcome the problem
LONG TERM CARE:
- more
facilities
- more
long term care beds
- reduction
in the cost to the user, i.e. per diem rates
Under funded and Understaffed:
- the nursing shortage has been more
acutely experience in Long Term Care directly related to the limited offer of parity and
improvement in working conditions.
- low wages and poor working conditions
have contributed to job actions by long-term care workers.
HOME CARE:
Home Care Nova Scotia has not been
properly planned or implemented.
- serious shortage of home care support
workers
- all services should be provided
through the Provincial Homecare Program
- only small portion of funding saved
with hospital cutbacks being allocated to Homecare.
Access to Homecare appears difficult,
lengthy and poorly defined:
- reduced range of services available
- expansion to related programs such as
palliative care and respite care has not happened as originally promised and is critically
needed.
- Homecare should hire professionals,
such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and nutritionists as
direct employees, not as external consultants.
Thank you
John Ryan, Representative Canadian
Pensioners Concerned
For
Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network Meeting
With the Minister of Health
Thursday, July 25, 2002
10:00 a.m.
SINGLE
ENTRY ACCESS- LONG TERM CARE
Is
the SEA operational in all Nova Scotia Health Districts now?
The
pilot project in Cape Breton was supposed to rationalized Wait Lists for LTC.
What
has been the experience in all health care districts?
Anther
benefit of SEA was to have been that with the reduction of Wait Lists beds in active
treatment hospitals would not be" blocked" by patients designated as requiring
LTC beds. What has been the actual experience?
There
have been reports of patients being sent to LTC facilities quite far from their families
(up to 100k). Has this problem been resolved?
Demographic
studies like "Shifting Sands" indicate that the percentage of older adults in
the N.S. population is increasing particularly in the 75 and older category. Is the number
of LTC beds consistent with the statistics?
It
is also reported that there are slightly more than 125,000 persons in N.S. over the age of
65 and that this number is increasing by about 5000 per year. What measures are being
taken to address this growth in terms of LTC beds?
Studies
have indicated that the average age of older adults being admitted to LTC facilities is
increasing and that those being admitted are sicker and require more care. What measures
are being taken to deal with this?
One
of the major concerns we hear is that care in LTC facilities is not a benefit under Nova
Scotias Health Insurance Program. This results in extremely high co costs to
individuals and their families for their care. Other provinces west of the Atlantic
Provinces and some federal agencies (like VAC) bill patients only for the room and board
portion of the cost of LTC. When will Nova Scotia implement this type of payment program
and cover LTC under the Hospital services and Insurance Act?
The
Financial Assessment system in N.S. requires the reporting of all Income and assets,
except a designated home, prior to admission to LTC facilities. Other provinces require
only Income reporting. When will Nova Scotia change the system? The present requirements
are very stressful for many older adults who see their life savings liquidated so quickly.
In
2001 there were 75 facilities providing Level 1 and Level 2 care with approximately 5900
beds. These were classified as Nursing Homes for Homes for the Aged. Has this number
increased or decreased? What is the present number?
There
were also 34 Residential Care Facilities with approximately 750 beds and 52 unlicensed
facilities providing Level 1 care with approximately 120 beds. This totals 6750 beds or a
sufficient number to accommodate about 5% of the 65+ population.
How
does this compare with other provinces?
There
are also reports that there is queue jumping in the SEA system, which the SEA was supposed
to eliminate. What is being done to ensure this doesnt happen?
RECOMMENDATIONS
The
Financial Assessment system for eligibility for admittance to LTC facilities in Nova
Scotia be based on Income only.
That
health care in LTC facilities be a benefit under the Health Services and Insurance Act in
Nova Scotia.
That
when it is determined that a patient in an active treatment hospital requires transfer to
a LTC facility and no bed is available at that time in a LTC that the patient not be
required to pay any fee.
That
in view of the advanced age and worsening medical condition of older adults being admitted
to LTC facilities that a review of nursing staff requirements be undertaken to ensure a
high level of care is being provided.
That
the SEA system be monitored closely to ensure there is no queue jumping.
That all the
conditions previously mentioned apply to disabled persons as well as older adults.
Thank you
Peggy Brown, Disabled Individuals Alliance
For
Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network Meeting
With the Minister of Health
Thursday, July 25, 2002
10:00 a.m.
Good
morning, my name is Peggy Brown. I would like to say a few words about the provincial home
care program based on my own experience and that of other persons with disabilities.
When the
program was first announced, it appeared to be a good one.
However, my experience has shown it to be otherwise.
In my first
encounter with it, there were not any homemakers in place.
I did
finally get the services of a homemaker but fifteen months later, the number of hours I
received was cut in half, from 16 to 8 hours. I
also started to hear stories from people being cut off from home care services altogether
for no apparent reason.
In addition,
persons with disabilities have clearly told me that they are not getting all the services
they need. This includes light housekeeping
such as cleaning, laundry and changing of sheets.
We are now
hearing that there are long waiting lists for people wanting to get services.
There are
four recommendations I would like to make about home care:
· The program needs to be improved, not
cut back or de-proved.
· More services by homemakers and home
support workers are needed, not less.
· More money should be put into home care
to provide the services we need in order to allow everyone receiving these services to
live comfortably.
· The recent logs of services being
provided that have been required by Home Care Coordinators seem to be more paper work and
a waste of money.
· Home care must be improved to help keep
people out of nursing homes.
Thank you
Summation
By
Ian Johnson
Vice-Chair
Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care
Network
For Meeting with Minister of Health
Thursday, July 25, 2002
Thank you, my name is Ian Johnson and
I am the Vice-Chair of the Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care Network. My task at this point is to somehow summarize the
main points we have tried to raise with you today, Mr. Muir and other representatives of
the Department.
As you will have read in our
background information statement, the Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care Network is
dedicated to protecting, strengthening and expanding Medicare. Since our beginnings in November 1996, the Health
Network has grown to become a provincial organization of concerned individuals and
organizations representing seniors, women, anti-poverty, persons with disabilities,
community groups and labour.
We look forward to
your response to these concerns and
recommendations
and we would later appreciate a written
response to them. We have tried to suggest positive
options for action
by you and the Department. At the same
time, we are
prepared to do all we can to offer solutions and
to propose
meaningful consultations and participation,
especially by the
public and front-line health care workers.
We thank
you again for this opportunity to meet today.