Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Sep 17/99) - The Deh Cho's doctor expressed his concerns that regional health boards are receiving plenty of responsibility but little in the way of funding, at the minister's forum on health and social services public meeting in Fort Simpson Thursday evening.

Dr. Shane Barclay said his experience in British Columbia is that regionalization has been a "disaster." It's basically been a way for the government to back away from responsibility for health care, yet the government continues to oversee the budgets for the regional health boards. When recommendations are made by the minister's forum, why not let the health boards implement them for themselves, Barclay asked.

Forum panellist Blair Dunbar, who has 29 years experience in health and social services, said similar remarks had been made in the previous five communities they visited. It seems fairly fundamental, he acknowledged, if there's a transfer of services, a transfer of resources should accompany it.

"We've certainly heard that loud and clear," said Dunbar. "The government will have to struggle with that, in terms of resolving that issue."

On the matter of recruiting and retaining doctors and nurses, Barclay said the government has to be willing to offer an attractive wage package.

"If they don't put money into the system, they're not going to get doctors and nurses to work in the North -- end of story. "If you want well-trained medical staff, you have to pay them."

Sheila Sears, manager of nurses for Deh Cho Health and Social Services, added that money isn't the only factor in attracting medical staff, their quality of life is also important. They need to have time off to relax, she said.

Otherwise, the health system is "phenomenal" here under the circumstances, Barclay contended. For example, specialists can examine patients in Yellowknife at a much greater pace than in Vancouver, he said.

Nonetheless, some people have unrealistic expectations of the health system in the North.

"In the NWT, we're expecting champagne medical service on a beer budget," Barclay said, adding that a two-tiered system is developing elsewhere in the country, but it will not happen in the North. "I think health care in Canada is dead but the politicians aren't brave enough to admit it."

Fort Simpson residents Andrew Gaule and Gerald Antoine, later echoed Barclay's concerns that regional health boards assume legal responsibility for health matters but don't have control of the purse strings.

"They take the flak locally and regionally if something goes wrong. To me that's unfair," said Gaule.

Dunbar admitted the forum's panel has its own concerns because the recommendations they make will be given to a minister whose term will expire in December due to the territorial election. Forum members have been trying to secure a meeting with the new minister and Dunbar encouraged those in attendance to lobby their MLA candidates to make it a electoral issue.

The Deh Cho Health and Social Services Board presented a seven-page report to the forum earlier in the day. Deh Cho board chair Allan Landry had listened silently Thursday evening before speaking at the end of the meeting. Making reference to a banner on the wall that proclaimed, "Our community, our choices," he said regardless of the outcome of the forum, the people in his home community of Kakisa have already taken that step.

"We took control of our community ... We make it work the way we want it to work," he said. "We take the accountability on ourselves with the money that's available now."

Landry acknowledged that Kakisa's small population, roughly 50 residents, and the fact that it only has one political organization, that being Dene, it's been easier for them to effect change through their own will.

Other issues that arose during Thursday's forum included:

- the need for bi-lingual staff to help ensure aboriginal people are not being misdiagnosed or receiving the wrong medication.

- a focus on early diagnosis so advanced treatment can be pursued elsewhere when necessary.

- a concern about high rates of cancer and diabetes among aboriginal people in the North.