Canada signs close to $256 million bilateral agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador to improve health care over three years

CORNER BROOK, NL, March 25, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadians want and deserve a health care system that provides timely access to health services whenever and wherever they are needed. That is why the Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion over 10 years to support the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan.

Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada's Minister of Health, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Canada's Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, and the Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, announced a bilateral agreement to invest almost $256 million to improve health care access and services in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Through the Working Together Agreement, the Government of Canada will provide nearly $256 million to support Newfoundland and Labrador's three-year action plan to deliver improvements to its health care system. The plan will:

• Expand access to family health services
  • Increase access to primary care by continuing to add new family care teams, creating urgent care centers to service the Northeast Avalon, and adding new positions to implement the Child and Youth Community Health Services Model.
    
    
• Increase health workers and health services to reduce backlogs
  
  • Institute models of care that address surgical backlogs and increase access to health services, including by expanding orthopaedic surgeries in Carbonear;
  • Support models of care that enable health care providers, including pharmacists, to expand their scope of practice by prescribing more medications;
  • Pilot a new physician assistants program and continue to increase midwifery positions across the province;
  • Increase the number of targeted incentive programs for difficult to fill positions and increase programs designed to increase retention of health care workers, including programs to support career development; and,
  • Add new undergraduate medical education seats and new Family Medical Residency positions for international medical graduates at Memorial University.
    
    
• Increase mental health and substance use services
  • Increase the number of people with access to mental health teams; and
  • Improve access to services for rural and Indigenous communities and offer community-based services, substance use support, and innovative online mental health services.
    
    
• Modernize health data systems to ensure more patients can access care
  • Increase the number of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who can access their own health record electronically;
  • Expand virtual care for rural and remote communities; and
  • Implement a province-wide emergency response dispatch centre.

Progress on these initiatives and broader commitments will be measured against targets which Newfoundland and Labrador will publicly report on annually. 

Through this new agreement, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will work with the Government of Canada to improve how health information is collected, shared, used and reported to; streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals; facilitate the mobility of key health professionals within Canada; and fulfill shared responsibilities to uphold the Canada Health Act to protect Canadians' access to health care based on need, not the ability to pay.

Recognizing the significant disparities in Indigenous health outcomes, the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador also commit to meaningfully engaging and working together with Indigenous partners to support improved access to quality and culturally appropriate health care services. Newfoundland and Labrador's action plan is informed by continued engagement with its Indigenous partners and supported by the recent trilateral discussions involving the federal government. All levels of government will approach health decisions in their respective jurisdictions through a lens that promotes respect and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Newfoundland and Labrador and the federal government will continue working together to improve health services for all patients across the province, including responding to the needs of rural, remote, Indigenous and other underserved and disadvantaged populations.

"This agreement marks a significant advancement for our health care system, promising improved care for residents and improving the overall resilience of our health care infrastructure. Tailored to Newfoundland and Labrador's unique requirements, this agreement ensures enhanced health care services for all residents."

The Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health

"Under the Working Together agreement, we're partnering with Newfoundland and Labrador to increase mental health and substance use services for people throughout the province, including Indigenous communities. Today's agreement is an important step forward as we work to ensure that all Canadians have access to quality and timely mental health and substance use support."

The Honourable Ya'ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

"We are proud to be transforming health care in Newfoundland and Labrador based on the recommendations of Health Accord NL. We are grateful for agreements with the Federal Government, such as this Working Together Agreement, that allow us to build on what we have already accomplished and to continue to create more family care teams, recruit more health care professionals, and increase health care services to more Newfoundlanders and Labradorians."

The Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

"Our government is committed to improving the health and well-being of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Our best-in-class recruitment efforts are working. Family care teams and virtual care are ensuring more people get the care they need when the need it. We are increasing supports and access to mental health and addictions services to those most in need. By working together with our Federal partners and our stakeholders, we will continue to lead in modernizing and transforming health care, for the betterment of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians."

The Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

"From the tip of the Torngats to St. John's Harbour, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians young and old need quality health care. This plan will make sure folks have access to the care that meets their needs, in communities large and small."

The Honourable Gudie Hutchings
Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Quick Facts

• The Working Together investment includes $25 billion for tailored bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, a guaranteed 5 per cent Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increase for the next five years -- estimated to amount to $17.5 billion -- and a one time CHT $2 billion top-up to address to urgent needs of emergency rooms and paediatric hospitals delivered in June 2023. Combined, these investments provide provinces and territories the flexibility to address the unique needs of their populations and geography, and accelerate health care system improvements.
• Budget 2023 outlined the Government of Canada's plan to invest close to $200 billion over 10 years, including $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories, to improve health care for Canadians. Within this funding, $25 billion is allocated through tailored bilateral agreements to address the unique needs of their populations and geography in four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • increasing mental health and substance use support; and
  • modernizing health care systems with health data and digital tools.
• As part of the Working Together bilateral agreements, provinces and territories are developing action plans that outline how funds will be spent and how progress will be measured to demonstrate to Canadians that improvements are occurring in Canada's health care system. Newfoundland and Labrador's initial three-year Action Plan can be found here.
• Budget 2017 committed $11 billion over 10 years in federal funding to provinces and territories to improve access to home and community care, and mental health and addictions services for Canadians. Bilateral agreements were signed with provinces and territories to access the first six years of that funding. The final four years of funding for mental health and addictions are included in the new Working Together bilateral agreements.
• The Government is also working with provinces and territories to implement a second bilateral agreement focused on helping Canadians age with dignity close to home, with access to home care or care in a safe long-term care facility. This agreement includes the remaining $2.4 billion ($600 million per year for fiscal years 2023-24 to 2026-27) over four years to improve access to home and community care from Budget 2017; and the $3 billion ($600 million per year for fiscal years 2023-24 to 2027-28) over five years for long-term care from Budget 2021 to apply standards of care in long-term care facilities and help support workforce stability.

Associated Links

• Working Together to Improve Health Care in Canada
• Working Together Bilateral Agreements
• Aging with Dignity Bilateral Agreements
• Budget 2023

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)