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Minister's Speaking Notes
Hon. Julie Bettney
Minister of Health and Community Services
September 5, 2001
Media Centre
11 a.m.
MAJOR CONSULTATION PROCESS ON
FUTURE OF HEALTH SYSTEM LAUNCHED
- Good morning. Thank you for coming.
- I am pleased to launch this morning the most extensive consultation process on
health issues in the province's history. Allow me to take a few moments to
give you the background on why we are consulting the people of Newfoundland
and Labrador, how we intend to carry out our consultations and what we are
hoping to achieve by the end of November.
- Newfoundlanders and Labradorians place high value on their health and
well-being. That is why we want to ensure that people have access to quality
health services. Like other provinces across Canada, our system of health and
community services faces significant challenges, not the least of which is
financial sustainability. We are at an important crossroads. We need to
decide how best to structure our health system for the future.
- Now is the time for open discussion about our health system so that we can
make decisions which will benefit everyone in the future.
- We are faced with some very tough questions. Our biggest challenge of all
is funding. Regrettably, the share of funds from the federal government
declined sharply after 1994, and despite some extra funding in 2000, is
still less than historic levels. As a result, the provincial government
made up the difference throughout the 1990s. Today, health requires $1.4
billion, or 44 cents of every $1 spent by the provincial government on
programs. This is up from 37 cents in 1994. It is difficult to sustain
this kind of funding, and it reduces government's ability to spend in
other areas such as education, income support, water and sewer, and roads.
How do we keep pace with these astronomical expenditures? Costs for
new drugs, equipment and new technologies, and our human resources
continue to rise.
- Another important question centres on how we move more toward a health system
which promotes wellness. Promoting healthy living and preventing the onset
of disease before people need expensive treatment offer the greatest
potential for advances in wellness. It is true that we rank very well
on some health indicators such as how good we feel about ourselves, but
we also rank poorly on other indicators like our smoking prevalence and
rates of obesity. Our death rates due to coronary heart disease,
cardiovascular disease and stroke are among the highest in the country.
Since obesity and smoking are related to heart disease, this is not
surprising. The case for investing in a comprehensive population
health strategy is clear. But, we need to know what changes we need
to make to shift the focus from treating diseases to preventing them
in the first place.
- Realizing that we must act now to discuss these and other major health
issues, government has decided to hold a major consultation this fall. Our
approach is two fold:
1) first, we will provide a means for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador
to express their views on the future of our health system. To enable people to
have a better understanding of the key issues , I am releasing today a
discussion document titled "Reaching Consensus and Planning Ahead". The
document is detailed and contains information on the major health issues,
including health services structure, funding, delivery model, human
resources, accountability and wellness. It contains a series of questions
to which individuals can respond. In addition, the Department of Health and
Community Services has prepared a shortened version of the document in the form
of a brochure which will be distributed across the province. People will
be able to access the documents, and provide their comments online by
logging on to the web at www.gov.nf.ca, by phoning toll free, and through
various other methods.
2) Second, I will co-host regional health forums with the province's Strategic
Social Plan chairs in seven different locations around the province throughout
the month of October. These include Grand Falls-Windsor, Clarenville, St.
Anthony, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, St. John's and Salmonier. A
culminating provincial forum will be held on November 28 in Gander. Key
stakeholders from the health system, including community groups, will be
invited to attend the forums to participate in day-long discussions about
critical health system issues.
- I am pleased to announce today that Ms. Susan Hollett and Dr. Phil Warren
have agreed to be co-facilitators for the forums.
- I hope to report back on what was learned throughout the fall from the
general public and the regional forums.
- In addition to this, I will release details later this week with respect
to a primary care initiative to further plan for primary health care reform
in this province. This process will be conducted simultaneously with the
overall health consultation process this fall.
- I must point out as well how important our consultation will be for the
Romanow Commission into the Future of Health Care in Canada. It will enable
us to have more focused input into this important national initiative.
- Our goal throughout the fall is to analyze the major health issues and shape
the principles that will guide health decision making in the future. The provincial
government realizes that progress in the health system must come from the combined
efforts and input of many stakeholders. If we can generate consensus around
principles for decision making, it will be a fundamental step towards improved
sustainability, quality and access for the people of the province. We will also
be one step closer to realizing the goals laid out in the province's Strategic
Social Plan.
- The consultation process this fall is vital if we are to achieve a sustainable
health system in the future. I encourage everyone to participate.
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