Committee established to keep provincial health care accountable

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

A new group of public health care activists formed the Kings-Hants Citizens' Health Committee after a meeting in Kentville last week.

The Nova Scotia Citizens' Health Care Network is helping to found the branch and Kyle Buott reported a successful founding meeting was held.

“We’re thrilled to have our third local committee up and running,” says Buott, who coordinates the network. “As the government moves toward privatization and reducing the services available in rural areas, these local committees will be in place to fight back and defend local service provision.”

The committee set five priorities for action. They include three local issues and two provincial concerns. The list drawn up at the session includes: provision of and access to family physicians and nurse practitioners; seniors’ care; and increasing access to preventative care.

Buott said stopping any potential privatization and pushing for a national pharmacare program were also high on the list.

“Timely access to family physicians is a major issue in parts of Kings and Hants counties,” said committee member Debbie McLaughlin. “Our committee looks forward to organizing political pressure to promote public sector solutions to these issues.”

Downsizing next?

The network fears a recent study by Corpus Sanchez could have negative effects on rural communities like Kings and Hants counties.

“We will be watching the government’s next steps very closely,” says McLaughlin. “We want to make sure this new direction doesn't include ER closures or reductions in the hours of service.”

Buott said he’s worried the provincial report will lead to "a radical restructuring and downsizing and privatization" of health care.

"This is a full frontal assault on every aspect of the system," he said. "It’s going to look at privatizing everything. It’s going to look at closing down or removing services from local communities and it will really make our health care system much worse off."

According to Buott, Nova Scotia should be looking at elected community and regional health boards for a transparent and accountable process – much like a school board. “The health department is the biggest in Nova Scotia and all the power is in the minister’s office.”

The Kings-Hants committee is part of a provincial organizing drive by the Health Network to set up in local committees. It’s backed by the Council of Canadians, the Canadian Labour Council, Chrysalis House and the Women’s Place.

Co-chairs of the new Valley branch of the Nova Scotia Citizens' Health Care Network are Margaret Witney of Wolfville and Leon Agla of Hall’s Harbour, both of the local chapter of The Council of Canadians.

A committee was set up to begin looking into local concerns and to arrange for a public meeting. The Jan. 22 formation meeting looked at an array of issues, such as physician shortages, preventive medicine, drug costs and seniors’ access to health care.

Committees also exist on the North Shore and South Shore and exploratory groups exist in over 10 other communities in Nova Scotia.

Buott noted, “our goal is to make local issues the priority. Nova Scotia has built a health care system based on need, not ability to pay. We have to ensure we go forward, not backward.”