|
Oral
Questions
May 1, 2008
Home
| In the House | Question
Period
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions today are the Minister of Health and
Community Services.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday,
we learned that another pathologist will be leaving
Eastern Health. Dr. Dan Fontaine was a cervical cancer
specialist and also did testing on samples from across
the Province. He also does pathology work for patients
suffering from lung cancer, thyroid and other cancers.
I ask the minister: What
will be the service impact on patients as a result of
his resignation?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, we are aware that we
have had another resignation. He will be leaving, I
understand, sometime in the latter part of June, as I
understand it now. We met with Eastern Health last week
to have a discussion around what might be the impact,
because we had some sense that might happen.
We had a discussion with
Eastern Health last week about what might happen with
respect to services. They are now evaluating what impact
that might have. They have made some initial contacts
with a couple of labs outside the Province to be able to
assist them during an interim period of time while they
are continuing to recruit. We are hopeful then, in the
immediate term, there will not be any interruption in
service to pathology services within Eastern Health or
for the people of the Province as a result of that
resignation. Obviously, Eastern Health, together with
the department, is anxious to ensure that they are
restored to a full complement of pathologists.
The Premier and I met
with the medical association last week to have a
discussion around the issue of pathology service for the
Province. There is a follow-up meeting tomorrow with
myself and the medical association and representatives
from Eastern Health to continue some dialogue as to what
might be, both the short-term strategy to deal with the
workload today, but more importantly, Mr. Speaker -
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
I ask the hon. member to
conclude his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank
you.
More importantly, to look
at what are some of the long-term solutions to ensure
that we have an adequate complement of pathologists for
the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, Dr. Fontaine’s resignation now brings it to
eight vacancies in pathology at Eastern Health. The head
of laboratory services have told us that this
resignation will no doubt lead to longer wait times.
I ask the minister: How
much of the new testing will now have to be done outside
the Province? Wait times that would have normally been a
few weeks, how much longer will they be extended for
those patients waiting to hear what their treatments and
diagnosis will be?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: With
respect to the workload, I just want to comment about
the reference to the eight positions. There are eight
positions that have been referenced in the media and in
this House on several occasions, but I just want to
create some understanding of that. There are two people
who have resigned but have not yet left. So, those
resignations have not yet had an impact. There are two
other people, who - one is on maternity leave, returning
early in the summer. There is another person on an
education leave, I believe, and they are returning early
in the summer. There are two vacancies where
replacements have already been recruited, and they are
starting early in the summer. So when you look at trying
to figure out what impact it will have on the departure
of those two people who recently resigned, their
resignation effective dates are coinciding with
recruitment of a couple of other pathologists.
Eastern Health are trying
to determine the exact impact, in terms of workload, but
clearly, as I said a moment ago, they have made
arrangements with two outside labs to be able to assist
them in the interim.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, if you listen to the minister, you would think
that we do not have a problem here, yet the people who
work in those labs are telling us that we are into a
crisis position. The minister knows that if you cannot
retain the professional pathologists that we have here,
our efforts in recruitment have not been that great in
this Province.
Mr. Speaker, the minister
has already said he has met with these pathologists, and
I think he is due to meet with them again. They have
outlined five particular things that they need in order
to be able address the shortage and to deal with the
recruitment. We did not see any of those pieces funded
in the Budget.
I ask the minister, why
there have been some gaps in dealing with this issue?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: First
of all, I want to correct something the member opposite
has said.
I clearly - any comments
I have made in the House in response to questions, is to
be able to answer your questions in a factual way. My
answers in no way should indicate, should have
indicated, nor do they indicate, that we are not
concerned any time that there is a vacancy. Obviously,
the recruitment of physicians and the retention of
physicians in this Province is a big priority for our
government. My statement a moment ago talked about some
of the successes and some of the work we are doing with
the medical school to enhance those efforts.
So, I say, Mr. Speaker,
any time we have resignations, or multiple resignations
in any discipline, it gives reason for concern, and that
is why we are moving quickly to work with the medical
association and Eastern Health to be able to address the
issue.
Issues around the
strategy, what we will be doing in the short term and
the long term, as I have said a moment ago, we are
working very quickly with the medical association and
Eastern Health to be able to address the issue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the minister, we
certainly applaud the efforts that you are making with
the medical school, to have more recruits and to
encourage more people to stay and work in the Province,
but according to those in the profession there has not
been a Canadian pathologist graduate in this Province in
years. Mr. Speaker, we see that as being a longer-term
solution, not a shorter-term solution.
So, I ask the minister: Will
he admit today that the salary benefits and
remunerations paid to pathologists in this Province is
inadequate and hampering our efforts to recruit more
people to this profession?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr.
Speaker, I stood in this House last year, about this
time, around the middle of May last year, in 2007, and I
announced to the House and to the people of Newfoundland
and Labrador that we as a government were announcing an
increase in the compensation paid to pathologists,
adding to the stipend that was provided to oncologists,
extending that to the pathologists in this Province,
which was a reflection of our government’s commitment
to ensure that our salaries for physicians and other
help disciplines in this Province are competitive, and
puts us in a position where we are able to recruit
capable, competent people and to retain them. Looking at
other issues, such as the full package of benefits and
working conditions, are all a part of our retention
efforts.
We are not suggesting, I
say, Mr. Speaker, we are not suggesting at all that we
should not be continuing to try to build on what we are
doing, and improve what we are doing. That is why we are
taking the efforts that we are taking now, and making
the movement and putting some investment of interest and
time and energy into ensuring that we work with all of
the affected parties, the Medical Association and our
health authorities, to ensure that we are successful in
continuing the recruitment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, the compensation or the stipend that the
minister keeps referring to has allowed the pathologists
in this Province to move from dead last in terms of
salary benefits in North America to the bottom of the
scale in Canada, I say to you, Minister. We know today
that retention of these pathologists is hampered by the
workload that they have, and because of the shortage.
Minister, I cannot say it any clearer than I have.
What
are you going to do immediately to address this problem,
to deal with the benefits, to deal with the
remunerations, so that we can get on with recruiting
pathologists and ensuring that we have a stable and
first-class health care system to the people in this
Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Like
the member opposite, the Leader of the Opposition, I,
too, cannot be any clearer when I say that we are, in
fact, working with the Medical Association. We are
working with the pathologists at Eastern Health. We are
working with our four authorities to actually address
the issue that she is raising here today. We met last
week, we are meeting again tomorrow. I cannot tell you
today what will come out of tomorrow’s meeting, but I
can clearly tell you that we are bringing a great deal
of energy to bear. We are bringing all of the affected
parties to the table, to try to work through a solution
collectively.
For me to stand here
today and prejudge what might come out of tomorrow’s
meeting would undermine the intent and the spirit of
co-operation we have with these interested parties. I
will not do that, Mr. Speaker.
What I will do, I will
commit on behalf of this government, to the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador, that we will continue with
our diligent efforts to make sure that we have an
adequate supply of physicians for this Province and will
do our best to work with them to ensure that we are able
to keep them in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister had a
proposal on his desk. He has met with them. We had a
Budget, and the critical matter that we are dealing with
in the Province today was not addressed, was not even
spoken to in the Budget, but this is an issue that was.
Let me ask him about this.
There were about 4,400
people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders –
COPD - in this Province. A life with lung disease means
being condemned to a life of minimal activity, unless
assisted with oxygen. I know the minister knows that,
because he brought in some money in this Budget for a
portable oxygen program, but it applies to those who are
on the Special Assistance Program.
I say to you, Minister,
there are thousands of people out there who need this
portable oxygen program, who do not fall in that
program. Can you tell me what
will be provided to those people?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MR. WISEMAN: I
am glad the member opposite has acknowledged the
investment we made in yesterday’s Budget.
We have met with the Lung
Association to talk about the issues that they have
concerns about with respect to those individuals who
need oxygen to have a quality of life. I say, Mr.
Speaker, this program, together with many others, has
been enriched in recent years as a result of our
government’s Budget.
Last year, we made some
major investments in our Prescription Drug Program. This
year, we have made some enhancements in other programs
and we will continue to do that, I say, Mr. Speaker, all
within the fiscal capacity of the Province, making sure
that it is sustainable for the long term.
Many of these programs,
though, do have a means-testing process. There are many
people in the Province who have the fiscal capacity
themselves, or have group insurance programs, where they
are able to cover the cost of those, which frees up the
money for us, as a government, to be able to put money
into things like poverty reduction, or things for other
people who are socially disadvantaged.
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
I ask the hon. minister
to conclude his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: I
say, Mr. Speaker, having programs such as that one, that
are universally available, sometimes may be challenged,
and sometimes we are better off making some decisions to
have it (inaudible) so money can be freed up (inaudible)
programs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, portable oxygen is only one of the expenditures
that these people have to deal with. They have to deal
with home oxygen programs as well. All provinces right
now, except for Newfoundland and Labrador, have programs
for funding home oxygen to the general public, outside
of those special assistance plans.
I ask the minister: Now
that you understand the issue and you know the numbers
of people impacted, why is it that you and your
government were not prepared to bring in a similar
program for people who require home oxygen as that being
offered in other provinces across Canada?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I always find it
interesting, Mr. Speaker, in the House where members
opposite will cherry-pick an issue and compare us to the
rest of the country. You can take any range of services,
live in any province in this country, you can scan the
environment and you will find something that is being
done in other provinces that is not being done where you
are living today, whether you live in Newfoundland and
Labrador or you live in B.C. or in Ontario.
If you are going to use
that, if that is what you want to do with Question
Period, my colleague will stand up in a few moments and
he will talk about the great work we are doing with
poverty reduction. We are the leaders in the country.
With the investment we are making this year, we will be
up to about $100 million annually that we are putting
into poverty reduction - the leaders in the country. We
can get up in Question Period and make all kinds of
comparisons, Mr. Speaker, around this country about
programs we are doing.
Again, as I said a moment
ago, we made a commitment this year to enhance the
program. Programs such as this are always under review
and evaluation, and in next year’s budgetary process
we will reconsider it again, look at opportunities for
–
MR. SPEAKER:
Order please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I say, cherry-picked or
not, it is hard to get an answer out of that minister.
Mr. Speaker, many seniors
in this Province rely on Old Age Security benefits as
their only source of income, and home oxygen can range
from a bare minimum of $150 a month up to $600 a month
depending on what their requirement is. The average cost
right now in this Province is about $300 a month for
those particular people. There are about 1,500 seniors
in the Province who require home oxygen, and I
ask the minister if he will now review it to see if
these particular people can be added to the prescription
drug formulary so that they can get some subsidization
on this vital medical treatment.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: I
am baffled by the member’s questions, because
yesterday we went through a line of questions where she
was zeroing in on very specific examples in the context
of a broader program. We are having the same thing
happen here today.
I say, Mr. Speaker, as a
government, and through our regional health authorities
who administer these programs on our behalf, sometimes
individuals who find themselves maybe not quite within
the parameters of the program but have some unique
circumstance have an ability, through the Special
Assistance Program, to have their circumstance reviewed.
I say, Mr. Speaker, that
happens each and every day. If you want to take one
individual or some in a group of individuals who are in
an extreme set of circumstances, there are many
opportunities, through the existing program and in the
construct of existing programs, to have those individual
circumstances evaluated. So if there are people that she
has some knowledge of like that, I suggest that she
refer them to her respective regional health authority.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
My next questions are for
the Premier. The Premier indicated yesterday that public
sector pensioners will not be getting any indexing or
any further benefits on their pensions in the
foreseeable future under his mandate.
I ask the Premier: Why
is public sector pension indexing not an option for your
government?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, I have said in this House on many occasions
that this government is very concerned about the impact
of high energy costs, for example, that are having on
the seniors of the Province. We feel an obligation that
we have to look after all of our seniors in Newfoundland
and Labrador.
All seniors have the
benefit of federal government programs, such as the Old
Age Security Program, the Guaranteed Income Supplement,
the Canada Pension Plan, which are all indexed. Some of
our retirees have had the benefits of being part of a
Defined Benefit Pension Plan, but the majority of
citizens in this Province have not.
What this government has
said that it will do, what we did in last year’s
Budget, what we have done in this year’s Budget and
what we will continue to do is to proceed with more and
more initiatives, like lower income tax benefits. We
have doubled the seniors’ tax benefit this year. We
improved the Seniors’ Benefit last year. We have
lowered income taxes. We have improved the drug program.
We have improved the home heating program to put more
money in seniors’ pockets to help them cope with the
cost of living.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Today, as the Minister of
Finance knows better than all of us, we have a
tremendous amount of money in surplus budgets and more
predicted because of soaring oil prices. Even when
previous governments had little money available, in 2001
there were small increases provided to index these
pensions.
I ask the minister today:
With such a significant Budget
surplus and the rising cost of living, why was there not
some recognition of the struggle of these public
servants in your Budget and some kind of inflationary
measures incurred to provide some alternative
subsidization for them?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
This government certainly
recognizes the contribution that senior pensioners who
worked for the government have done for the people of
this Province. In over just a few years, our government
has invested $3 billion into the pension plans of our
former employees and our teachers.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, that is $2 billion into the teachers’ pension
fund; that is $982 million that was invested in the
public sector pension fund. Obviously, it is very
important that if any further benefits were to come out
of the fund - we cannot have the Unfunded Pension
Liability increased because that will totally undermine
the advantages of the $3 billion. Again, Mr. Speaker, we
will continue to look after the needs of all seniors and
we will continue to bring forward initiatives that will
help all seniors in the Province, just not one
particular group.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, the piece to this that I do not understand is
when the members opposite where in Opposition they were
out talking about how they were standing shoulder to
shoulder with pensioners in this Province and supporting
this indexing. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the Member for St.
John’s Centre was quoted at one point in the paper
saying how he supported this.
What I
do not understand is why there is such a change of heart
on this particular issue at a time when we are resourced
well enough to be able to tackle it and do something
about it?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, as I said earlier, most people do not have the
benefit of having been part of the Defined Benefit
Pension Plan, but those who have the advantage of being
in that - a Defined Benefit Pension Plan is a plan where
the benefits are actually determined beforehand and an
actuary is hired to calculate what investments have to
be made into the plan and then the employer and the
employees make contributions to the plan to fund those
benefits that have been agreed upon.
In the case of our
pensioners, the promise contained in the pension plan
has, in fact, been met. Even though there is not enough
money in the plan, the plan still remains unfunded but
the pension benefits have continued to be paid.
Mr. Speaker, there are
many people in this Province, as I have said, who do not
have the benefit of such a plan and we have to look
after them, we have to look after those people that have
been - like people who worked for Kruger who have plans
that they are not in as well. So we have to ensure that
all seniors in the Province are protected.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, there are a number of public sector workers
today who have raised a concern with us and it is
regarding the increases that they are paying on their
insurance benefits. Many workers with family medical
plans have seen an increase of up to 25 per cent in
their premiums.
I ask the minister: Why
do the employees of the government now have to pay such
a significant increase?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, if I recall correctly, the increase in the
premiums under the insurance program was caused by -
well, there was an increase in the premium and that cost
had to be paid by all. Generally, under the plan, I
believe that the employer pays 50 per cent of any
increases and the employees pay 50 per cent of the
increases. What I will do, my memory of that is a bit
hazy, but what I will undertake to do is get more
information and come back to the House and respond in
more detail to the question the hon. member has put.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I remember when
government made the shift from Blue Cross to Desjardins,
that they were saying at the time that there would be
some savings for government. Now, I
do not know if government’s rates have increased as
well, or if they have maintained the same levels. Maybe
the minister could tell me that?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, there is a committee, consisting of government
representatives and employee representatives on the
committee that make the decisions relating to the
government’s group insurance and what not, and the
medical protection and the health protection and the
insurance. They made this decision, and again, I will
certainly undertake to check and get more information
and report back to the House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the minister for his
answer.
Mr. Speaker, my questions
now are for the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
There has been an ongoing
debate around the protocols and processes for the fire
commissioner’s office, but one thing we are sure of is
that if has been indicated that the fire commissioner
will require more funding in order to carry out proper
inspections on a routine basis in public buildings
throughout the Province. We did not see any funding
allocated in the Budget for this particular initiative.
I ask
if the minister could explain to me what resources will
be provided to him, in addition to what he already has,
and what new mandate of responsibilities they will be
given?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. DENINE: Mr.
Speaker, I said time and time again, since the
deficiencies were noted in the facilities in
Newfoundland and Labrador, I came back and I was going
to look at the protocol; our staff now are looking at
the issues there. They are looking at the volunteer fire
sector. They are looking at all the stakeholders. When
they get the report done, Mr. Speaker, then I will be in
a position to say what is going to happen, but for me to
prejudge what is going to come out of that, it is sort
of unfair for me to do that. I cannot do that. I want to
see those people come back with the recommendations to
me, as minister, and then I can look at the
recommendations and make some recommendations to
government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, the minister was aware of, and I understand
requests were made for a fire protection officer for the
Labrador region. Currently they have no presence there
when it comes to fire and emergency services. All the
investigations, inspections and so on are being done by
offices on the Island.
I ask the minister: Why
was this particular position not funded?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. DENINE: Mr.
Speaker, we have fire protection officers across the
Province, the Labrador member is right, but the thing is
that we have two on the West Coast in Deer Lake. At the
time with the amount of inspection that can be done, the
person on the West Coast can alternate back and forth
from Labrador to the Province. That is the reason why it
was not done.
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
In fact, as we speak
today there are officials of the Fire Commissioner’s
Office who are traveling by helicopter in Labrador, from
Mary’s Harbour to Nain, doing inspections on Coastal
clinics.
I ask the minister: Why
was their office not instructed to do the inspections on
the schools on the Labrador Coast at the same time as
they were making this trip?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. DENINE: Mr.
Speaker, when the decision was made to send the fire
protection officer to the Coast of Labrador, at no time
did the schools become an issue with me, and it hasn’t
become an issue with me in terms of the Fire
Commissioner’s Office. What we did was, we sent the
fire protection officer to the Coast to look at the
community clinics. That was the issue at the time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank
you very much, Mr. Speaker.
My first question is for
the Minister of Health and Community Services.
In light of the impending
loss of pathologists – and I say impending because I
realize some have put in resignations and are still
there – in the Province, we have heard many concerns
expressed by the Canadian Cancer Society, most
particularly the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical
Association, individual pathologists and the Director of
the lab, with regard to the morale of the staff who
remain.
I am wondering: In the
discussions that the minister will be having with
Eastern Health tomorrow, will you be dealing with the
issue of helping this current staff with their morale?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Yes,
Mr. Speaker, we will.
Obviously, with the
discussion we are talking about here, as I said earlier,
looking at the issues before us, issues around the
supply, retention and recruitment efforts, working
conditions become a piece of that. The morale and
working conditions will be a part of our discussions. In
fact, the Premier and I will be meeting I think it is
next week - next week or the week after we are going to
have a meeting directly with the pathologists and
oncologists themselves to continue the discussions we
started last week with the Medical Association.
I say, Mr. Speaker, all
aspects of working conditions, issues that impact our
ability to recruit and issues that impact our ability to
retain the pathologists, are all topics of discussion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Just one more question on
that, then, to the minister.
If things that you come
up with in your discussions tomorrow, and your ongoing
discussions, are going to involve money, are you going
to be prepared to have that discussion if more money
becomes part of what needs to be done, whatever that
money would be for?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: As
I said in response to an earlier question from the
Leader of the Opposition, as a government we are
interested in working with the individuals who are
impacted, like the Medical Association, health
authorities, and pathologists in this particular
instance here. We need to better understand, what are
the issues we need to be dealing with, and what are some
of the strategies in and around that?
One of the things that I
am committed to, I say, Mr. Speaker, and government is
committed to – and I acknowledged earlier our
commitment to do it – we are committed to ensuring
that we have an adequate supply of capable, competent
physicians in this Province, and we will work with all
parties to ensure that we have strategies in place to
not only help us recruit them but to help us retain them
in the Province for the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
That answer from the
minister actually leads me into another question that I
had hoped to ask today. It has to do with the
recruitment and retention of nurses, because the Budget
talked about the recruitment and retention of nurses;
however, all of the incentives that I could see in the
Budget, bonuses for students, cost of moving, signing
bonuses, all have to do with recruitment only. I really
could not find anything that could be identified as a
retention strategy for nurses who are already working in
the Province.
I ask the government: Why
did it not see fit to invest in more full-time positions
for nurses, to help with retention?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr.
Speaker, we could arrange to have officials provide a
more detailed briefing of yesterday’s Budget, because
there was information in there with respect to creating
new positions.
If you look under the
community health support system, we are creating new
nurses in public health. We are creating new nurse
practitioner positions, I say, Mr. Speaker, all with a
view of expanding opportunities for career enhancement,
expanding new opportunities for nurses in this Province.
We already had, last
year, announced in our last year’s Budget, initiatives
with respect to quality workplace initiatives that are
carrying over. They just were not in last year’s
Budget and they stopped at the end of twelve months;
they are continuing into this year, I say, Mr. Speaker.
Money has been provided
in the previous year’s Budget. Annualize that money;
we do have money in this year’s Budget to deal with
those issues. Some of it may be contained in the
allocations reached for our regional health authorities,
but very clearly, I say, Mr. Speaker, very clearly we
are committed to – as I said with respect to the
physicians, not only do we want to have the ability to
recruit but we need an ability to retain nurses.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order please!
I ask the minister to
complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN:
Mr. Speaker, that is why we have created more permanent
positions by converting casual positions to permanent
positions in this year’s Budget. |
