Legislative Assembly briefs
MLA worried for unilingual elders
Beth Brown
Northern News Services
Monday, October 31, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
South Baffin MLA David Joanasie is concerned that some unilingual elders in long-term care outside of the territory don't have anyone who can talk to them.
"A number of Nunavut elders are currently receiving care in Ottawa seniors' residence with very little access to Inuktitut language services," Joanasie told legislators Oct. 21.
Elders in long-term care only receive interpreting services if they fall under contract with the Ontario Health Services Network, except on a necessary basis, he said.
Health Minister George Hickes said he visited Ottawa recently to meet with the OHSNI chair and executive director.
"I have negotiated a temporary measure for them to provide some translation services," Hickes said. "Again, it's more of an as-needed type service."
He did not clarify what as-needed entailed.
Options are being explored for providing longer-term, full-time interpretation services.
"It's difficult to weigh the balance on making sure that we are getting cost-effective care for our residents in those facilities and making sure that their needs are being met from a language and cultural component," said Hickes.
These same cultural and linguistic needs are being looked at for the regular medical system, as many residents are required to travel for medical care, said Hickes.
"It's a serious focus. We are reviewing the level of care that we are providing outside of territory, and examining ways that we can provide assistance to our partners in providing that care with a strong cultural and language component so that our residents are eating food they are familiar with, or are able to speak their language amongst their peers."
There is a staff of approximately 10 interpreters in Ottawa who provide language services to Nunavut clients. Hickes said there is no plan to increase that number.
Dental gear used until broken
The quality of maintenance to dental and medical equipment in the territory is in question.
"It was reported that dental services in the community were cancelled due to broken equipment," Rankin Inlet South MLA Alexander Sammurtok said Oct. 25. "It is not clear how often this type of equipment is serviced and maintained."
Requests for repair or replacement of equipment are sent in by a community's nurse-in-charge or a regional office, Hickes said.
"It seems that in many health centres across the Kivalliq region, the equipment is very old. I have heard that requests for new equipment are often ignored," said Sammurtok.
Equipment replacement comes out of the Department of Health's capital budget, said Hickes.
"I look forward to all members of this legislature approving the budget so we can act on the replacement of equipment as soon as possible."
He said repairs are treated differently.
"We have a ranking system that anytime a piece of equipment can be repaired, we are going to continue to use it. We will try to get the full life's span use out of any piece of equipment."
He noted that replacement is not looked into until a piece of equipment breaks.
"I am certain that most specialized medical or dental equipment requires a specific maintenance regime," said Sammurtok. "Can the minister describe what contracts or arrangements are in place to ensure specialized medical or dental equipment is inspected and repaired on a regular basis?"
Hickes did not have information to confirm contracts for maintenance of the equipment.
"My binders are thick enough as they are right now," he said, but that the department would look into the question.
Midwives for Nunavut
Midwives are an option for families in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet, but Nunavummiut are wondering when the service will be increased.
"Midwives perform an important role in delivering health care related to childbirth, often providing care, counseling, and support before and after a birth as well as assisting a mother with the delivery of her child," Sammurtok said Oct. 26.
He said he was told in the spring that midwives would be considered in the Department of Health's medical professional recruitment and retention strategy.
Within the strategy, steps have been taken to include a certification process for midwives to be allowed to insert contraception devices and to facilitate access to the service, Hickes said. Midwives will also be permitted to manually remove placentas.
"We're getting more in line with national standards for midwives," he said.
He could not confirm if bringing more midwives to the territory was to be part of the strategy.
"We want to make sure that all Nunavummiut are able, if they so choose, to be birthed by midwives."
Sammurtok said the two midwives in Rankin Inlet provide orientation and support to midwives who are hired casually, besides providing regular health care services.
