Weeneebayko Area Health Integration Initiative

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Weeneebayko AreaHealth Integration Initiative

• Update
• December 2006

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Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a
Prosperous New Year 2007
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Where Are The Discussions?

• Since our last Steering Committee meeting in late
  August, we have
• been working on developing a document that
  outlines the business
• items that were outlined at that meeting.
• This process is taking longer that anyone
  expected because with
• the bureaucratic processes inside the two
  governments, every idea
• or notion needs to be checked and rechecked and
  all of which takes
• time. This is a technical process that Pat
  Chilton (CEO-WHA), Wes
• Drodge (CEO-JBGH) and Jim Harrold are involved
  with along with
• legal counsel. And although it is taking time,
  the business
• elements that we talked about at the last meeting
  have not
• changed.

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Highlights Of The Plan

• You will recall the highlights of the
  arrangements are
• Integration of WHA, James Bay General Hospital
  and the federal Nursing Program will form one new
  organization with one board and one management.
• Both the federal government and province are
  committed to at least continue their current
  funding for health care nothing will be
  extracted from the system. All current programs
  and services will continue and many will be
  improved.
• Both the federal government and province are
  committed to being involved in providing ongoing
  funding and program support.
• Over the first three years the base funding will
  be increased by 6.0 million per year which will
  allow the new organization to set aside money for
  capital upgrading, new programs and program
  growth.
• New capital projects will be funded completely
  with federal and province funding.
• The new organization will be eligible for new
  program funding and increases normally available
  for the various programs operated.
• There will be clear language to ensure that no
  part of the Agreement or its implementation will
  influence or take away from aboriginal or treaty
  rights.
• The analysis of the business elements that has
  been carried out by the leadership of WHA and
• JBGH indicate that the business deal is
  favourable to the future of health care in the
  area

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Whats Next?

• Once the draft document is prepared, there will
• be a meeting with the full negotiating committee
• including Chief Jonathon Solomon, Chief
• Patricia Akiwenzie and Mayor Wayne Taipale.
• Soon after that there will be a Steering
• Committee meeting. Depending on the advice
• of the Steering Committee, there will then be
• community meetings probably in late January.

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Meetings And More Meetings!

• In past few months we have reviewed the major
• elements of the business arrangements involved
  with
• the Integration Plan that we reviewed at the
  Steering
• Committee meeting toward the end of last summer.
• There was an update at the Mushkegowuk Assembly,
• both WHA and James Bay General Hospital have
• received updates and there was a public meeting
  with
• Moose Cree at their request. There was a
  follow-up
• meeting with Chief Akiwenzie and legal counsel to
• discuss aboriginal and treaty rights and there
  will be
• further meetings in the New Year.

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Looking Ahead gt gt gt gt

• The development of the draft agreement will be
  reviewed with the
• Steering Committee and subject to the direction
  of the Committee
• there will community meetings when everyone will
  be able to hear
• the details of the proposal and consensus for
  support will be sought.
• The federal and provincial governments will be
  seeking consensus
• from their leadership at the same time.
• Once that process unfolds, there will be a
  process to create the new
• organization by way of a Special Act. That
  process too will have
• public input meetings.
• All in all, from today, the quickest we will see
  integration will be six to eight
• months and in all reality given the time the
  various steps have taken so
• far, it may take a little longer than that.

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So Why Integration?

• Why all this effort? What about the costs is
  integration taking away from
• our few health care dollars that we already have?
• Why integration? Integration will eliminate any
  duplication between WHA and
• JBGH and will help address the gaps in programs
  and services. The vision of a
• unified health organization has been a vision of
  the First Nations leadership for
• many years for it is believed, and there is
  evidence to support, that a unified system
• will allow for better health care for everyone
  one board, one management team,
• one set of standards for care in every community
  that is determined locally. Our
• Master Service Plan outlines the programs and
  services needed to meet the needs
• of our population that has serious health needs
  and is growing quickly. We need
• more resources. With one organization health care
  in our area will work more
• effectively by eliminating duplication and
  redirecting funding to front line care.
• What about costs? The governments are supporting
  all of the planning expenses
• and the costs of implementation. Planning costs
  do not come from budgets related
• to providing front line health care.

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What To Look For Next

• In early January, Kelly and Jim will be in touch
• to set up the next Steering Committee. Also, a
• newsletter like this one will be prepared every
• six to eight weeks just to provide an overview
• and help you with your discussions with your
• family and friends in your community.
• Sincere Best Holiday Wishes

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For information

• Kelly Reuben 705.658.4544 x2326
• Jim Harrold jharrold_at_bmts.com
• Pat Chilton 705.658.4544 x2319
• Wes Drodge 705.336.2947