Nova Scotia Government Commits to Renewing the Public Health System

The provincial government has taken another step in keeping Nova Scotians healthier and safer by releasing a provincewide review of the public health system today, April 26, at a public health conference in Halifax.

The province implemented one of the main recommendations of the report earlier this year by establishing the Department of Health Promotion and Protection.

"We welcome this report and are proud of it," said Barry Barnet, Minister of Health Promotion and Protection. "We are the first province to commission an external review of the strengths and limitations of our public health system post-SARS. We had already demonstrated our leadership by creating Nova Scotia Health Promotion three years ago. This is the next step forward -- consolidating all of our public health functions under one roof and strengthening the system's resources."

The report, called The Renewal of Public Health in Nova Scotia: Building a Public Health System to Meet the Needs of Nova Scotians, was commissioned jointly by the Department of Health and Nova Scotia Health Promotion more than a year ago. It was received by government in January 2006 and in February Premier Rodney MacDonald acted on one of the report's key recommendations by creating the Department of Health Promotion and Protection.

"The renewal of the public health system is critical to Nova Scotians becoming healthier and safer," said Premier MacDonald. "This is a long-term priority for the provincial government."

The new department builds on the success of the former Nova Scotia Health Promotion office and aligns its work with the Department of Health's public health branch and the office of the chief medical officer of health. As such, the department is responsible for responding to emerging public health threats, preventing chronic disease and injury, and promoting health among Nova Scotians.

Some of the other recommendations from the report that will be considered are:

• reviewing how public health services in the district health authorities and at the provincial level can be better integrated
• increasing the number of people working within the system, ensuring that the needed skill sets are represented
• developing the public health laboratory and developing a public health information system.

The report also recommends doubling existing funding over the next five to 10 years. Additional funding for transition work will be contained in the province's budget for 2006-07.

"We are very pleased not only with the comprehensive actions for system renewal contained in the report but also with the inclusive process," said Andrea Hilchie-Pye, president of the Public Health Association of Nova Scotia. "The implementation of this report will make Nova Scotia a leader in the public health arena."

The process of transition is being guided by Bob Fowler, deputy minister of Health Promotion and Protection. "My job is to help build the right foundations so that this department can become a good leader and a good partner as we undertake system renewal," said Mr. Fowler. The complete transition for everyone involved throughout the province will take about five years.

The report, written by an independent public health expert from Ontario, Dr. Brent Moloughney, is available on the Department of Health Promotion and Protection website at www.gov.ns.ca/ohp .