Minister Currie announces community health meetings in Charlottetown and Summerside

Madame Speaker,

I rise in the house today to announce two additional community meetings on Better Access, Better Care.

These meetings will be in Charlottetown this coming Saturday morning, April 6 from 9 to 11 at the Murchison Centre… and in Summerside on April 20 at the Loyalist Lakeview Resort.

Better Access, Better Care is about enhancing our health care system to benefit the needs of our patients.

I want to be clear; these new health initiatives will affect every Islander from Tignish to Souris – – – including those of us who live in Charlottetown or Summerside.

As I have said before, the QEH and PCH will remain our two main referral hospitals and provide acute care services; in addition, we will have Souris and O’Leary Hospitals providing extended care.

That means if my mother needs a hip replacement, she will most likely have surgery in Charlottetown at the Queen Elizabeth Hospitals.

She will undergo her acute care at the QEH with access to the specialists she needs….but when her acute care is complete, if she still requires a level of restorative or convalescent care, then there is a very real possibility that she may be transferred to Souris or O’Leary Hospitals for a few days to receive extended care.

We need to realize that we have a One Island Health Care System – this is an integrated system, where each facility and each care giver plays an integral role.

Changing how services are delivered won’t happen overnight….and it will require strong leadership from health-care providers…particularly our physicians.

As Minister, I’m calling on our physicians for their strong leadership and stewardship both in our hospitals and our communities.

I hope all Islanders will take part in our community information sessions. For details on all of the times and locations visit our website at www.betteraccessbettercare.ca

Thank you.