|
British Columbia
Cash injection ups
number of beds
VANCOUVER
— Dr Margaret
MacDiarmid, the incoming President of the BC Medical
Association, is among those hoping the recent injection
of $7 million by the province's Liberals is a good start
to bring about changes in BC's overworked emergency
rooms. She believes adding longterm and acute care beds
is part of the solution. However, she feels that the
government has overlooked other issues like a need for
more funding for family doctors, by way of a new contract,
and information technology updates. LD
Alberta
Improving health
essential: report
CALGARY —
Healthcare and patient wait times are the number one
priority for folks in western Canada, according to a
report released by the Canada West Foundation. The Edmonton-based
non-partisan think tank surveyed 4,000 people. It found
that 73% of respondents identified improving the healthcare
system as their highest priority, followed by environmental
protection at number two and poverty reduction placing
third. GE
Saskatchewan
MD dearth hits regions
hard
REGINA —
The doctor shortage in rural Saskatchewan has
forced the closure of many regional emergency departments.
The Arcola Health Centre and the Kamsack Hospital both
shut their EDs and the Maple Creek Health Centre has
also experienced problems. The ED closure at the Arcola
Centre might have been averted but the doctor recruited
to help out was unable to meet the Saskatchewan College
of Physicians and Surgeons' licensing criteria. "We
are pretty concerned," Saskatchewan Medical Association
President Dr Vino Padayache told the Leader Post.
"This is something we have been warning the government
was going to happen and now it is a reality." TJ
|
Manitoba
Health bills ok'd
before break
WINNIPEG —
Three health bills were passed recently in the Manitoba
legislature, just before the summer break, although
the opposition Liberals blocked another 11 from becoming
law. Among the key bills passed is legislation that
allows parents to commit drug addicted children to detox
centres, and the Public Health Act, which will give
Winnipeg more power to quarantine individuals and ban
public gatherings during a pandemic. Another bill will
allow governments to sue tobacco companies for health-related
illnesses. HA
Ontario
Smitherman lashes
out at Clement
TORONTO —
Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman
has criticized Federal Health Minister Tony Clement
for his comment that the provinces are delaying setting
care guarantees. Mr Smitherman is accusing the federal
minister of attempting to change the terms of the 2004
health accord by saying that a care guarantee is the
same thing as setting benchmarks for medically acceptable
wait times. JJM
Pharma
bill under fire, again
TORONTO —
Ontario pharmacists have scored another victory. The
Ontario government will amend a proposed reform and
allow pharmacists to keep rebates received from pharmaceutical
companies. This is just one of many amendments made
to the Transparent Drug System for Patients Act, which
is now in third reading in the legislature. The pharmaceutical
industry has had a number of concerns with the bill.
Among them was a proposal to let pharmacists substitute
similar, not just chemically equivalent, drugs to what
had been prescribed by a doctor. JJM
Contributors: Hector Andrews, Simon
Biggar, Donna Byers, Lance Davies, Geoff Everett, Thane
Jenkins, Paige Lee, Julie J Mercier, Deana Stokes Sullivan
and Henrietta Yan.
|
