The provincial government has struck a $256 million deal with Ottawa to improve health care access in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The deal will support the province’s three year action plan to improve the health care system.
Government says this will be achieved by expanding access to family health services, increasing the number of health care workers and services to reduce backlogs, increasing mental health and substance use services, and the modernization of health data systems.
Progress on the initiatives will be reported on by the province publicly on an annual basis.
As well, both levels of government have agreed to work with Indigenous stakeholders to improve access to quality and culturally appropriate health care services.
From the Provincial Government:
Expand access to family health services
- Increase access to primary care by continuing to add new family care teams, creating urgent care centres to service the Northeast Avalon, and adding new positions to implement the Child and Youth Community Health Services Model.
Increase health workers and health services to reduce backlogs
- Institute models of care that address surgical backlogs and increase access to health services, including by expanding orthopedic surgeries in Carbonear.
- Support models of care that enable health care providers, including pharmacists, to expand their scope of practice by prescribing more medications.
- Pilot a new physician assistants program and continue to increase midwifery positions across the province.
- Increase the number of targeted incentive programs for difficult to fill positions and increase programs designed to increase retention of health care workers, including programs to support career development.
- Add new undergraduate medical education seats and new Family Medical Residency positions for international medical graduates at Memorial University.
Increase mental health and substance use services
- Increase the number of people with access to mental health teams.
- Improve access to services for rural and Indigenous communities and offer community-based services, substance use support, and innovative online mental health services.
Modernize health data systems to ensure more patients can access care
- Increase the number of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who can access their own health record electronically.
- Expand virtual care for rural and remote communities.
- Implement a province-wide emergency response dispatch centre.