WHITEHORSE – Riverdale South candidate Tracy McPhee today released the Yukon Liberals plan to improve our health care system. She emphasized the importance of delivering front line health care services in outlining the Liberals plan.

“When you need to go to the hospital, the hospital needs to have the resources to take care of you,” she said. “Yukon Liberals will create better hospital infrastructure for Yukoners by ensuring that all Yukon hospitals have enough beds, equipment, services, and qualified staff. Working together, we will have a responsive health care system.”

McPhee said the ‘ad hoc, just in time’ approach of the current government would change under the Yukon Liberals.

“From the controversy over the new Whistle Bend facility to the pre-election announcement of new beds in the Thomson Centre it is clear a lack of planning has resulted in poor decisions,” said McPhee, who spoke on behalf of the Liberals at the recent Health Care Forum hosted by the Yukon Registered Nurses Association.  “Our plan is to keep the Whistle Bend Continuing Care development at 150 beds and work with Yukoners, health professionals, and stakeholders to find alternative solutions that providing safe housing and appropriate supports for aging in place where possible.”

McPhee also confirmed a Liberal government would regulate the practice of midwifery. Yukon remains one of the last jurisdictions in Canada to do so.

“There have been a lot of promises made by the Yukon Party over the last 14 years but the fact remains we are one of the last jurisdictions in Canada to recognize, regulate and fund midwifery to make it safe for women and practitioners,” she said. 

McPhee said despite the licensing of nurse practitioners in 2012 a great deal of works remains to be done to ensure they are allowed to practise to the full extent of their capabilities.

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Yukon Liberals HQ 668-4748

Healthier, Happier Lives: programs and services tailored for Yukoners

Prenatal

A healthy pregnancy is the path to a healthy birth.  Investments at this critical time of development result in exponential gains in the health of newborns.

A Yukon Liberal Government will:

• support in vitro fertilization by introducing a tax credit to offset the cost of this procedure;
• support and fund regulated midwifery, and
• expand maternal and pre-natal community-delivered supports in the territory including, but not limited to, supporting the delivery of the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, and matching federal funding.

Life Long Health and Well Being

An active, healthy society improves standards of living and economic outcomes as well as reduces strain on our healthcare system. We need to invest in people, in affordable housing, in alternative methods of care, in people’s mental health and in active living.

A Yukon Liberal Government will:

• increase the Yukon College licensed practical nursing program from an intake every 18 months to every 12 months;
• modernize and integrate alcohol treatment programs and services to reflect advances in treatment and services and First Nations culture – including land-based programming, community-based care and aftercare;
• create adequate hospital infrastructure for Yukoners by ensuring that Yukon hospitals have sufficient capacity including beds, equipment, services, and qualified staff;
• examine options to improve the delivery of front line health care services through a collaborative care model;
• fund health and wellness peer champions in each community to encourage healthy lifestyle and participation in existing, yet undersubscribed, programs;
• work in partnership with the francophone community to find practical short and long term solutions to provide more services in French; especially in the priority areas of primary, emergency and mental health care;
• address community concerns on cancer incidence by obtaining reliable information and enhancing health promotion and prevention initiatives;
• adopt a Housing First Strategy for vulnerable populations such as those affected by poverty, addictions or mental health problems.
• modernize the scope of practice of pharmacists to be more current, in a manner that allows the profession to more fully utilize their expertise, while at the same time being cognizant of the risk of incurring additional service fees.

Age in Place

As our population ages, we need to plan for their comfort and care; creating solutions to promote aging in place and a full spectrum of care.

A Yukon Liberal Government will:

• keep the Whistle Bend Continuing Care development at 150 beds;
• work with Yukoners, health professionals, and stakeholders to find solutions that offer alternatives and transitions between home care and full-time continuing care, and
• provide community-based services which allow seniors to age in place, to the greatest extent possible.