United Approach For New Health-Care Partnership

PREMIER'S OFFICE/HEALTH--United Approach For New Health-Care Partnership

Nova Scotians will speak with one voice at next week's First Ministers' Meeting in Ottawa about the need for improved health care.

Premier John Hamm, Health Minister Angus MacIsaac and Health Promotion Minister Rodney MacDonald joined today, Sept. 9, with representatives of the province's health-care and labour organizations to urge Prime Minister Paul Martin to forge a new partnership for better health care.

"I'm taking the message of health-care workers so that the prime minister and my provincial counterparts can hear first hand from those who are on our front lines that we in Nova Scotia welcome reform, embrace innovation and are committed to being accountable to Nova Scotians as well as to the government of Canada for the dollars we invest and the outcomes we achieve, so that they can hear first hand that we can accomplish a lot more and do a lot better if Ottawa joined our partnership," said Premier Hamm.

"We need Ottawa to come to the table with a sincere commitment to do its fair share to reduce wait times and secure the needed professionals, resources and equipment required to treat Nova Scotians and all Canadians faster... and keep them healthier longer," said the premier.

The Department of Health has worked with doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals to put together a presentation on the challenges facing Nova Scotia's health-care system and the need for long-term, sustainable funding from the federal government.

"Who better to tell the story of health care in Nova Scotia -- the improvements made and the unmet needs -- than the people who work on the front lines," asked Mr. MacIsaac. "We feel it is important to take their message directly to the prime minister."

Health-care stakeholders and labour organizations agree that improvements are needed in Canada's health-care system.

"The doctors of Nova Scotia would like to see more emphasis on health promotion and prevention," said Doctors Nova Scotia president Dr. Maria Alexiadis. "It is only through efforts to make and keep our population healthy that we will see a real reduction in wait times and demands for costly services."

Janet Hazleton, president of the Nova Scotia Nurses Union said:
"Whatever changes are made in the health-care system, it is important that it remain a publicly funded, publicly run health- care system that is accountable to Canadians."

The First Ministers Meeting is being held in Ottawa, from Monday, Sept. 13 to Wednesday, Sept. 15.