Moving ahead with health plan

by Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Feb 18/98) - Department of Health and Social Services is moving ahead with a plan to stabilize health services in the Keewatin.

In a letter of intent released to the public last week, Health Minister Kelvin Ng signed an agreement with acting CEO of the Keewatin Regional Health Board, Percy Kabloona.

The letter lists seven commitments of the department: assisting in the recruitment of a permanent CEO, developing recruitment strategies for staff (particularly nurses and social workers), developing a mechanism for community input and a public relations plan, a review of the organizational structure of the board, an investigation of the potential to re-establish a contract with the Northern Medical Unit and management of the Arviat Health Centre capital project and the Rankin Inlet multi-level health care facility.

It also provides for temporary staff for board.

Dennis Marchiori, executive assistant to the board's acting executive director, Chris Keeley, said the agreement is the latest step in the process of improving health services in the region.

"It's a quick little agreement between the department and the board which states the assistance the department will provide to the board," he said.

Marchiori said the letter outlines what will happen over the course of the next three to four months.

This week, the acting head of the NMU, Dr. Bruce Martin, is expected to return to Rankin Inlet for the second time in as many weeks to meet with the board to work on a new contract between the University of Manitoba and the board.

The letter of intent will remain in place until both the department and the board are satisfied that a permanent chair and CEO are in place.