The Health Council of Canada Meeting, Victoria, B.C., September 28-29, 2009
The Health Council of Canada met in Victoria on September 28 for two days of discussions and deliberations, and presentations by leading experts in the health care field.September 28, 2009
Bruce Dumont, President and Minister of Health, Métis Nation of British Columbia
Tanya Davoren, Director of Health, Métis Nation of British Columbia
Representatives from the Ministry of Health at the Métis Nation of British Columbia (MNBC) – president and Minister of Health Bruce Dumont and Director of Health Tanya Davoren – provided insight to Council on the unique challenges of ascertaining the health status of Métis individuals, and the progress made to date in meeting their most pressing health needs.
The Métis Nation of British Columbia’s Ministry of Health has identified its top priorities as chronic disease management, maternal and child health, mental health and addictions, elder care and noninsurable health benefits. Among the important work overseen by the Ministry is the MNBC Citizenship Card, which “helps us track the transient nature of the Métis,” said Davoren.
Through the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund, the MNBC was able to hire five Regional Health Coordinators in each geographical Health Authority for 2009/2010. These coordinators act as conduits of information between the Métis nation and the province of British Columbia. The MNBC has also worked with the Ministry of Health Services and the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport to develop a data-matching agreement. This data will contribute to an evidence-based approach to the MNBC Health Ministry’s future decision making. “There is no Métis specific data available. This will be a really good indicator of what Métis health is across the province,” Davoren told Council.
For more information on the Métis Nation of British Columbia: www.mnbc.ca
September 28
Dr. Steve Morgan, Associate Director, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research and Associate Professor, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia.
Canada’s foremost expert on the analysis of the causes and consequences of prescription drug utilization, Dr. Morgan’s presentation will help inform the Health Council of Canada’s upcoming work on health services utilization.
Dr. Morgan gave Councillors a sneak peek at his upcoming report The British Columbia Rx Atlas, 2nd edition, due to be released on Wednesday, September 30. The report used de-identified drug utilization data for virtually all 4-million British Columbia residents in 2006 which was taken from hospital records, population data and demographic information to explore the drivers of change in pharmaceutical expenditure over time and variations across regions. The result is a detailed portrait of the determinants of the use and cost of pharmaceuticals to date.
“The hope,” Dr. Morgan told Council, “is to get the public and policy makers thinking and investigating.”
September 29 – 8:30 a.m.
The Honourable Wilbert Keon, Senator, Senate of Canada
Senator Keon presented his recommendations from the Senate report, Canada’s Aging Population: Seizing the Opportunity, and discussed the importance of community in individual health.
“From this point on, I am going to talk about population health in every presentation I give on health,” he told Council. “It takes a community to get the maximum health out of an individual.” He went on to discuss the five major recommendations made in the report:
• Move immediately to take steps to promote active aging and healthy aging and to combat ageism;
• Provide leadership and coordination through initiatives such as a National Integrated Care Initiative, a National Caregiver Strategy, a National Pharmacare Program, and a federal transfer to address the needs of provinces with the highest proportion of the aging population;
• Ensure the financial security of Canadians by addressing the needs of older workers, pension reform and income security reform;
• Facilitate the desire of Canadians to age in their place of choice with adequate housing, transportation, and integrated health and social care services; and
• Act immediately to implement changes for those population groups for which it has a specific direct service responsibility, and in relation to Canada’s official language commitments.
“Dr. Keon is a heart surgeon, researcher and Canadian senator – and, spanning all of these, a visionary and leader,” said Dr. Jeanne Besner, Chair of the Health Council of Canada, on the importance of Senator Keon’s address to Council.
To read Canada’s Aging Population: Seizing the Opportunity, click here (include link:http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/rep-e/AgingFinalReport-e.pdf)
To read a related report co-chaired by Senator Keon, A Healthy, Productive Canada: A Determinant of Health Approach, click here (http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/Com-e/popu-e/repe/rephealthjun09-e.pdf)
September 29 – 10:30 a.m.
Dr. Besner wrapped up the meeting by commenting about the challenges facing each of the jurisdictions and the need for the Health Council of Canada to support the jurisdictions through its work. The Council endeavours to identify innovations and best practices in health care both across the country and internationally.
Background
The Health Council of Canada, created by the 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal is mandated to monitor and report on the progress of health care renewal in Canada. Councillors were appointed by the participating provinces, territories and the Government of Canada. For information on the Health Council of Canada and to view past reports, visit www.healthcouncilcanada.ca
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For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Pierre Lachaine, Health Council of Canada – Media Relations
Phone (416) 480-7085
Cell (416) 779-4532
plachaine[at]healthcouncilcanada.ca 😛
