(Yellowknife – June 24, 2024) - The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Leadership Council (the Council) held a meeting in Yellowknife earlier this month, from June 4th – 6th, 2024. Matters related to the health and social services system remain at the centre of conversation for leaders across the Northwest Territories (NWT) and members of the public. The Council was pleased to have residents attend portions on the meeting both in-person and virtually, to provide input on these issues and to receive presentations from program leads from the Department of Health and Social Services (HSS) and Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA).

Discussion highlights from the meeting included:

• An update to ongoing conversations about the challenges facing residents, particularly in smaller communities around Medical Travel, and what work is underway to remedy areas within the control of government.
• A discussion on dental services and the need to continue to work with partners at Indigenous Services Canada to ensure availability of services in communities throughout the NWT. 
• A detailed update on Primary Health Care Reform and the transition to four integrated care teams in Yellowknife. There was a presentation on the big picture vision for primary health care reform across the territory that emphasised the goal that over time all residents will have a circle of care provided by an integrated care team – that could include a physician, nurse practitioner, community health nurse, holistic wellness advisor, and other providers - that is well resourced to meet their needs.
• Updates were provided about the important work ongoing by the Office of Client Experience and enhancements that continue to ensure culturally safe care and supports are available to all who access the system. Council encouraged the staff undertaking this work to continue advocating and to advance often difficult discussions around systemic racism. Change will not be immediate, but this is critical work, and the council expressed their confidence in the team at the Office of Client Experience and recognized them for their work and the progress they have made in just their first year of operations.
• Discussion also touched on the challenges in finding balance between supporting service enhancements and assessing how system changes can present new issues. An example  was provided around recent enhancements to laboratory services in Yellowknife – where changes have improved the overall number of patients seen each month and number of labs processed, but have created new challenges in areas such as phone capacity. Together, the Council with HSS and NTHSSA continue to look for ways to mitigate client frustrations and enhance experience in all areas of service, while also continuing to ask residents for their feedback and understanding and patience when new processes are implemented.

As the governing body for the NTHSSA, these meetings are important for the Council to ensure we can advance discussions in a way that provides opportunity for transparency and accountability. As apparent in discussions during this recent sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly, health and social services remains a priority across the territory and the Council looks forward to continuing to find ways to work with the Minister of Health and Social Services to advance priorities and better serve the needs of residents. 

There is a lot of work to get done in this next quarter, and the Council looks forward to providing a future update on many of these topics and welcomes feedback from the public, now or in the future.

As we enter the summer months and wildfire season, the Council wanted to remind residents that mental health resources are available in each region of the territory. Please do not hesitate to use any of these services if you need them and/or encourage their use to your friends and family if you believe that may benefit. Links to resources can be found here: Mental Health Resources and Supports | Health and Social Services Authority (nthssa.ca).

QUOTE:
“I would like to thank everyone who attended our meeting and who provided information and updates. There is much good work happening in our health and social services system, and many challenges to address. Once again, I encourage residents to attend our meetings and those of your Regional Wellness Councils. Have your voice heard, increase your knowledge about our system, and be an active participant in change.”

• Mr. Gerry Cheezie, Chair, Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Leadership Council

For more information on the governance structure of the NTHSSA, please visit: Governance | Health and Social Services Authority (nthssa.ca).

If you wish to be put on a distribution list for future releases or notices about meetings from the Leadership Council, contact nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca and request to be put on the Leadership Council distribution list.

Background:
The Leadership Council is the Board of Management for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) and is comprised of a Chairperson and Regional Wellness Council Chairs (RWC) from across the Northwest Territories (NWT). Together, they work to provide focused and accountable solution-driven leadership that empowers the NTHSSA to improve patient and client care. The Council also provides advice to the Minister of Health and Social Services (HSS) on policy matters related to health and social services.

Media Information:
Gerry Cheezie, Chair of the Leadership Council will be available to speak to media about the Councils work. To coordinate an interview please contact:

NTHSSA Communications
nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca