Health Secured for Nova Scotians

More doctors and nurses and shorter waiting times are among the benefits Nova Scotians can expect from the provincial government's new approach to funding health care. Premier John Hamm announced today, Oct. 8, a long-term commitment to stable, increased funding for Nova Scotia's district health authorities (DHAs).

"We have a plan for helping our fellow citizens who need it, supported by the money to carry it out," said the premier. "We have a plan for health care. We're putting patients first by putting more money into the front lines, where it's needed most."

Starting April 1, 2003, the Nova Scotia government will increase funding to the DHAs by seven per cent for the next three fiscal years. This amount, totalling $63.5 million to be shared among the nine DHAs and the IWK children's hospital, is in addition to the funding provided for negotiated salary increases for nurses and other health-care workers, approved new programs and approved capital projects. Funding commitments for future years will also be made on an ongoing three-year basis.

"Now, our hospitals will be able to budget their resources for the next three full years," added the premier. "We are doing something no other government in Canada has done. We are no longer hand-cuffing health care with old-style budget politics. We are putting Nova Scotians first, so health care stays stable and secure."

Since 1999, the Nova Scotia government has made numerous improvements to health care, including:

• establishing the province's first-ever nursing strategy, with millions of new dollars directed towards recruitment, retraining and retention efforts;
• enhancing the province's physician recruitment strategy, with more doctors locating in Nova Scotia this year as a result;
• investing more in needed medical equipment to reduce wait times for surgeries;
• enshrining the role of community health boards into law; and
• moving towards Canada's first-ever provincewide information management that will give health-care professionals more time to spend with patients.

Premier Hamm made the announcement during his annual State of the Province Address to the Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

NOTE TO EDITORS: A video of the premier's State of the Province
Address, delivered today, Oct. 8, is available on the premier's Web site, at www.gov.ns.ca/prem .