Nova Scotia Responds to Kirby Report

Health Minister Jamie Muir says the Kirby report released today, Oct. 25, supports Nova Scotia's position that the federal government must be a full funding partner in health. It also supports many initiatives under way in the province as well as many of Nova Scotia's recommendations to the Romanow report.

"We've been saying all along that federal funding to provinces must be based on need, and not provided on a per capital basis," said Mr. Muir. "The Kirby report will be very useful as we continue to examine options that will bring stability and predictability to health care in Nova Scotia."

The minister said he supports Senator Kirby's recommendation to give more money to provinces with large senior populations.

"Nova Scotia has one of the largest senior populations in the country," said Mr. Muir. "As a result, our costs are higher on a per capita basis compared to many other jurisdictions."

The minister said he is disappointed the committee did not put forward a specific recommendation for funding in long-term care. He is hopeful that will be addressed in the Romanow report expected in November.

The minister agrees with the Kirby report's recommendations for the federal government to invest more in training much-needed health-care providers; to help people who provide palliative care to their loved ones at home; and to address increasing drug costs.

Several initiatives in Nova Scotia are in line with the recommendations of the Kirby report. Nova Scotia's advancements in primary-care reform include the recent announcement that more nurse practitioners are going to be hired to deliver health care more efficiently to communities.

The province-wide roll out of electronic health records will begin in February in Guysborough, Antigonish and the Strait area. It will help improve patient care and make it easier for health- care providers to gain access to vital patient information.

Health promotion and disease prevention initiatives include the smoke-free tobacco strategy and the Active kids, Healthy kids strategy released on Oct. 23.

"What we are hearing from Kirby and what we expect to hear from Romanow validates what we've been saying all along," said Mr. Muir. "There must be changes to how we manage health care nationally and provincially if we are to continue to provide quality health care for people."

The Romanow report is expected to be released by the end of November.