“This new program will foster the health and well-being of mothers and newborns – a strategic priority identified in the Provincial Health Plan 2008-2012,” said Schryer.  “By building on existing partnerships and enhancing the co-ordination of services, we can deliver better care to New Brunswick women and their babies.”

The program will promote excellence in reproductive care services through the co-ordination of quality care, education, information and consultation.  It will also set evidence-based standards and guidelines for clinical care.

“The establishment of a provincial reproductive care program has been on the New Brunswick Medical Society’s wish list for a number of years,” said Dr. Chris Losier, society president. “Many other provinces have similar programs, and now New Brunswick mothers and their babies will benefit from the opportunity this will provide for health-care providers from around the province to sit down together on a regular basis to identify and share best practices.”

A provincial advisory committee will be created to help develop and implement the program. Its membership will consist of stakeholders including physicians (obstetrics, pediatrics and primary care); representatives from the Horizon and Vitalité health networks; the Midwifery Council of New Brunswick; the New Brunswick Medical Society; and the Department of Health.

The advisory committee will hold its first meeting early this fall.

The Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport intends to establish a provincial framework to guide the development of air quality objectives. For more information, including the consultation paper on which the ministry is seeking comments, see Proposed Provincial Framework for the Development of Ambient Air Quality Objectives.

“Our government is committed to revitalizing and strengthening the provincial long-term care and community support services system in our province and enabling people to stay closer to their homes for as long as possible,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “These consultations will provide an opportunity to hear directly from the public regarding the challenges and potential solutions in the current system and will help guide the development of a new provincial long-term care and community support services strategy.”

Consultations will take place in the form of public meetings throughout the province, roundtable discussions with selected stakeholders, written submissions by mail or email, and verbal submissions by telephone.

Public meetings will be hosted by Minister Kennedy or Keith Hutchings, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister, and will take place in 20 communities throughout the province – St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Conception Bay South, Carbonear, Placentia, Clarenville, Marystown, Harbour Breton, Bonavista, Twillingate, Gander, Springdale, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, Stephenville, Port aux Basques, Plum Point, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City and Hopedale. See below for a complete schedule, including dates, times and locations.

“Residents are encouraged to participate in the consultation process and to share input and ideas regarding the current and future long-term care and community support services system,” said Minister Kennedy. “Feedback received will enable us to develop effective policies that will enhance programs and services available in the province.”

Individuals wishing to make a presentation during the consultation sessions are asked to pre-register by email or by phone, as listed below, at least 48 hours prior to the consultation session they wish to attend. In addition, those registering are asked to obtain a copy of the discussion document Close to Home: A Vision for Long-Term Care and Community Supports Services on the Department of Health and Community Services’ website. The document provides an overview of supports and services available and outlines a proposed vision for an improved system, as well as a potential service delivery model that will guide future program development. It also provides questions to support individuals in making their presentation at the public consultation.

Phone:   729-5515 or 1-888-729-5515        Department of Health and Community Services
TTY:      1-888-729-5440                           Policy and Planning Branch
Fax:      709-729-0261                              West Block, Confederation Building
Email:

closetohome@gov.nl.ca P.O. Box 8700
Web:     www.gov.nl.ca/health St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6

The Williams Government is investing approximately $60 million in long-term care and community support services in Budget 2010: The Right Investments – For Our Children and Our Future allocating $27.3 million for the continued development of two new long-term care facilities in St. John’s; $8.9 million to increase the home support hourly subsidy rate by an additional 75 cents; $8 million to begin construction of a new long-term care facility in Lewisporte; $4 million to start construction of a 250-bed long-term care home in Carbonear; $3.2 million to increase the personal care home subsidy rate and to expand the portable subsidies to respond to the current personal care home waitlist; $3 million to complete the new Corner Brook long-term care facility; $2.1 million to finalize the long-term care home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay; and, approximately $1.7 million for a new protective care community residence in Bonavista, with specialized care and accommodations for individuals with mild to moderate dementia.

For more information about the upcoming long-term care and community support services consultations, please visit

www.gov.nl.ca/health.

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Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-2646

tansymundon@gov.nl.ca

Health Canada is currently conducting a consultation on its proposed policy for mandatory reporting requirements under the proposed Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA). The purpose of this consultation document is to provide you with important information related to this proposal and to solicit your input regarding Health Canada’s proposal on how it would implement Clause 14 of the Bill, which sets out duties in the event of a product safety incident.

The proposed CCPSA would replace Part I of the Hazardous Products Act and introduce a new regulatory regime for consumer products. One of the shortcomings identified in the Hazardous Products Act is the absence of any requirement for suppliers to report incidents and defects related to health and safety.

Provisions requiring mandatory reporting of such incidents and product defects are common features of modernized consumer product safety regimes.

The mandatory reporting provision of the proposed CCPSA (Clause 14) would allow for a proactive and efficient means for responding to dangers posed by consumer products. Mandatory reporting would help implement the Government’s second and third pillars of the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan: targeted oversight and rapid response. Reports of incidents are expected to be a major source of information about potential unreasonable dangers posed by consumer products, and by requiring that they be reported up the supply chain and to Health Canada, the Government can monitor whether the manufacturer or importer has taken appropriate measures where necessary to mitigate the risk of further potential injury or illness.

The consultation document contains draft interpretation and guidance for suppliersⁱ in anticipation of the mandatory reporting requirements described in Clause 14 of the proposed CCPSA. For the most recent version of the Bill, users should consult the text available on the Parliament of Canada website.

Specifically, the consultation document covers:

1. general interpretation for reporting incidents;
2. specific interpretations for incidents under 14(1)(a) through (d); and
3. reporting – who, what, when, how, including draft incident report form for reporting online.

The content has been based on policy developed for the drafting of the proposed Act and incorporates feedback from consultations with industry and other stakeholders. Where appropriate, this draft policy has been aligned with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (US CPSC) and the Ontario Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) both of whom have mandatory reporting.

How to Get Involved

This consultation is open for comment starting July 19^th, 2010 until October 1^st, 2010.

Some questions related to this regulatory proposal have been developed for your consideration and to promote discussion. These can be found at the end of the document mentioned above. Comments do not need to be restricted to answering the questions. Any comments related to this document will be taken into consideration.

Once you select the link for the consultation document, you will be able to read the background and considerations, and submit your comments via email, by mail or by fax to:

• CCPSA-LCSPC@hc-sc.gc.ca
• Consultation on the Policy for Mandatory Reporting
  Consumer Product Safety Directorate
  Health Canada
  123 Slater Street, 4th floor
  Address Locator: 3504D
  Ottawa, Ontario
  K1A 0K9

Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments and suggestions by October 1^st, 2010.

Additional Information

• Canada Consumer Product Safety Act

Reporting to Canadians

Health Canada will make the results of this consultation available on this website. If you have any questions, contact us at CCPSA-LCSPC@hc-sc.gc.ca.

Draft Guidance Document – Labelling of Pharmaceutical Drugs for Human Use

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to sponsors to facilitate compliance with the labelling requirements pursuant to sections 3, 9, and 10 of the Food and Drugs Act as well as related provisions of the Food and Drug Regulations, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and its related Regulations including the Narcotic Control Regulations, Parts G and J of the Food and Drug Regulations and the Benzodiazepines and Other Targeted Substances Regulations.  Once finalised, adherence to this guidance is expected to support the safe and effective use of drugs by health care professionals, patients, and consumers.

How to Get Involved

This consultation is open for comment starting July 7, 2010 until October 5, 2010. Please select and read through the link below titled “consultation document”. Once read please submit your comments via email, fax or by mail to:

Policy_Bureau_Enquiries@hc-sc.gc.ca

Bureau of Policy, Science and International Programs
Therapeutic Products Directorate
Health Canada
1600 Scott Street
Holland Cross, Tower B
2nd Floor, Address Locator 3102C5
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9

Fax: (613) 941-1812

Consultation Document

Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments and suggestions by October 5, 2010.

WHITE ROCK – The Province’s ongoing overhaul of its primary health-care system is being made stronger with a $137-million investment to strengthen service delivery, ensure patients are full participants in their care and provide every British Columbian who wants a family doctor with one by 2015, Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon announced today.

This unique integrated model of primary and community care will see family physicians working in collaboration with the Province, the BC Medical Association (BCMA), regional health authorities and other health-care professionals, including medical specialists, to provide better care for patients with chronic diseases, seniors and complex health needs.

“Ensuring that British Columbians have access to their own family doctor – a health professional who is familiar with their medical history – can drastically improve health outcomes for patients and in doing so, can help ensure the sustainability of our health system.” said Falcon. “This shift will change the patient’s journey through the health system and streamline care so patients receive consistent and appropriate care through their family doctor over a lifetime.”

“Some exceptional work is being done in B.C. to improve how primary care is delivered and it is yielding some impressive results” said BCMA president Dr. Ian Gillespie. “The move to connect more people with a family doctor of their own and to do a better job of integrating their total care is another important step in our work together with government and the health authorities.”

The objective is clear, all British Columbians will have access to a family physician but the Province will also focus on specific patient groups. Under the new primary health care, high needs patients, frail seniors and patients with chronic diseases will be provided with enhanced care planning and support with an individualized and co-ordinated personal medical health-care plan linking together various health professionals to provide better quality care. The team could include the family physician, medical specialists, nurses, pharmacists and other allied health professionals. For a patient receiving home care, their support staff will be directly linked to their family doctor and the extended health care team to better coordinate care.

Patients with higher needs will have access to innovative models of care. This will include faster access to medical consultations with specialists with the introduction of a new payment mechanism that will allow family physicians to get immediate telephone access to a medical specialist for a telephone consultation.

“My health is very important to me,” said White Rock-South Surrey patient Sheila Allison. “I have a family doctor who knows me, listens to my concerns and treats me as a partner in my care. I believe everyone should have access to a long-term relationship with a family physician.”

Development of the new primary health-care initiative is currently underway in White Rock-South Surrey, Prince George and Cowichan Valley and will expand to other areas of the province, with the new primary care model being introduced in up to 20 communities as early as fall 2010. It is anticipated that up to 400,000 British Columbians and 400 physicians will participate in the first phase of this program.

“We are seeing real benefits in being able to bring together family doctors through our local Division of Family Practice,” said Dr. Brenda Hefford, White Rock family physician and executive lead with Fraser Health. “In our community, the doctors have enjoyed strong collegial relationships, but we have not had a mechanism until now for working together as a group in collaboration with other partners in the health-care system and community.”

“These new relationships and partnerships give us the confidence and support to tackle issues that none of us can address on our own,” continued Hefford. “We are excited about being able to increase the number of people who have their own family doctor and to deepen the relationship between patients and their doctors. We look forward to beginning to see the benefits to their health from this relationship.”

A key part of the new primary health-care initiative at the community level is the introduction of Divisions of Family Practice. Divisions of Family Practice provide a practical way for family physicians to work collaboratively as a group with regional health authorities and other community partners to provide the best care possible for patients, especially patients with higher needs such as mental illness, frailties and chronic diseases.

“My experience in Mackenzie with six doctors in three years is a reflection of the experience of many rural or remote communities,” said Mackenzie, B.C. patient Pat Crook. “Physician attachment is more than just a name attached to a patient; it is a long term relationship, which is why we need to get creative with our health care models and work on physician retention in rural and remote communities. Solutions like Northern Health’s alternative payment plan for doctors will hopefully address the problem of retention of doctors in rural or remote communities like Mackenzie.”

Each participating division will make it easier for patients who do not have a family physician to find one. Divisions of Family Practice will provide a one stop call to assist people who arrive in a new community to find a family doctor. The same type of link would work for patients without a family doctor who arrive in the emergency department and are given the contact information for the division in order to get a family doctor of their own.

Family doctors will also use new innovations to build on their capacity to take on additional patients. This could involve offering group consultations for patients with chronic diseases instead of the traditional one-on-one consultation. The minister also hopes that this could include the broader use of nurse practitioners in integrated primary and community care and will ask the BCMA to explore this with government.

The move to a more integrated primary health care system will be a partnership between the health authority and the Divisions of Family Practice. Initially, this integrated care program will launch in up to eight communities: Cowichan Valley, North Vancouver, Powell River, Chilliwack, White Rock-South Surrey, Kamloops, Prince George and Prince Rupert. By March 2011, integration will have begun in more than 40 communities and regions of the province and, by 2015, the program will be available in more than 160 B.C. communities, covering the entire province.

The shift in primary health-care is part of the innovation and change agenda to improve patient care while managing growing health care costs and ensuring sustainability. In April, the Province launched patient-focused funding to initially offer hospitals financial incentives to deliver acute care services for a competitive, set price. In the second year, the Province will look at expanding patient-focused funding to support primary health care.

Health and Community Services
June 18, 2010

New legislation passed through the House of Assembly this week will improve public protection and patient safety by providing for the regulation of a number of health professions, including many that are not currently regulated. The Health Professions Act will establish an umbrella model of governance that brings a number of professions together with shared accountability for professional regulation while maintaining their own identities.

“Our government is committed to providing quality, reliable and safe access to health care throughout the province,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “The new legislation will provide professional regulation that will ensure protection of the public through the establishment of consistent licensing, quality assurance and discipline processes. Under this new legislation, medical laboratory technologists, acupuncturists, audiologists, dental hygienists, midwives, respiratory therapists, and speech language pathologists will now be regulated.”

Consultations with those professions seeking regulation, aboriginal groups, women’s organizations, other jurisdictions and the Regional Health Authorities were held between November 2009 and January 2010. These consultations guided the drafting of the act and there was significant support expressed for the model of regulation proposed.

Minister Kennedy noted that the regulation of medical laboratory technologists, one of the professions included under the legislation, is consistent with the recommendations contained within the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing Report, written by Justice Margaret Cameron.

“Our government continues to look at health regulation from a new and different perspective – one that focuses on transparency of the professions, accountability to the public and development of quality assurance programs,” said Minister Kennedy. “This new legislation responds to the concerns of a variety of health disciplines with respect to regulation, as well as addresses the regulation of medical laboratory technologists as recommended by Justice Cameron.”

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Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-2646
TansyMundon@gov.nl.ca

Residents of the Beaufort-Delta are the newest beneficiaries of electronic access to medical information, as the Government of the Northwest Territories continues its roll-out of the interoperable Electronic Health Record (iEHR) project. Beginning today, the region’s health professionals have access to the iEHR HealthNet Viewer, providing instant access to the medical information of patients and ensuring more efficient access to care, better-informed care decisions, and improved patient treatment.

“Electronic health records are a significant undertaking, and one that has a tremendous positive benefit for NWT residents,” said Minister of Health and Social Services Sandy Lee. “By ensuring that a patient’s health records are instantly available to medical professionals that require them, we reduce delays in the system and improve the level of care that can be provided. We will continue to work to ensure that all NWT residents are able to benefit from this new system.”

Every province and territory in Canada is working to implement electronic health record systems that will transform the way health care is delivered to Canadians. Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, invested $5.7 million in NWT’s iEHR project. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health record projects in Canada.

“When health professionals have quick, reliable access to health information it’s the patients who benefit the most,” said Richard Alvarez, the President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway. “The NWT HealthNet Viewer will help health care professionals in the Beaufort-Delta reduce wait times, improve patient safety and increase access to care.”

The iEHR HealthNet Viewer is being rolled out to authorized healthcare professionals at clinics, hospitals and health centres across the NWT. The program provides instant access to the medical information of patients, including lab results, discharge summaries and diagnostic imaging reports. Records and paper files where they exist today will continue to be maintained as before. The HealthNet Viewer provides the opportunity for clinicians to view information which already exists in different electronic systems across the Territories in a fast, convenient and secure consolidated format.