The Prince Edward Island Health and Social Services System has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of Islanders and guide the direction of health and social services in the province over the next five years.
A draft strategic plan was released today by Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem and Regional Health Authority Board Chairs. The public will have the opportunity to provide input into the plan during community consultations scheduled in each health region this month.
Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem advised that the draft plan is based on three guiding principles: wellness, sustainability and accountability. "First, we want to assist Islanders to improve their health, and especially the health of Island children. Secondly, we must improve the way resources are allocated so that our system is sustainable for us and for future generations. Finally, we want to improve the accountability of the system to monitor and report on system performance and health outcomes."
The draft plan is based on consultations with regional board members, MLA's and senior staff who strongly support a comprehensive system-wide approach to effectively address the factors that influence health and the ability of the system to meet changing needs.
"We have made substantial investments in health and social services over the past five years, and we will continue to invest," said the minister. "The challenge is to ensure we are achieving the best health outcomes for Islanders. Chronic conditions are the major cause of death and disability in the province, yet many of them are preventable or manageable. Further investments in children's health can produce major long-term benefits for individuals and society. It is essential that we have a sound strategic planning process in place to assist us to improve our results in these areas."
The plan outlines five draft goals where the system wants to significantly improve results.
The first goal is to improve the health status of Islanders which is high in many areas and low in others. For example, we have high rates of positive mental health, the highest rates of social supports in the country, excellent birth weight, and the lowest rates of child poverty in Canada. At the same time, we have the lowest rates of physical activity, the highest male smoking rates, and the highest rate of cardiovascular death among males in the country. Proposed strategies to improve health status include chronic disease prevention and management initiatives, social supports for lower income families, and partnerships to address inequalities in population health status.
The second goal is to increase acceptance of our responsibility for our own health. Many major illnesses are preventable or manageable, yet many people rely solely on the health system to treat them after they become ill or unable to meet their own needs. Better results can be achieved through increased access to primary health services such as asthma and diabetes education programs, cancer screening, and other initiatives to assist Islanders to develop knowledge, skills and supports to improve their health.
The third goal is to improve the ability of the system to sustain increasing demand and rising costs, ensure an adequate supply of health professionals, and make needed capital investments in technology and facilities. Sustainability will be addressed through increased access to primary health services, improved utilization, and the reallocation of resources to areas of greatest benefit for Islanders.
The fourth goal is to increase public confidence in the system. This will be achieved by measuring and regularly reporting indicators of system performance, health status and progress to address the determinants of health.
Finally, the system will improve workplace wellness and staff morale through effective human resource planning and a comprehensive approach to workplace wellness which promotes organizational excellence, positive personal health practices, and safe and positive workplaces.
Minister Ballem advised that public participation in the planning process is essential. "The community consultations will provide Islanders with the opportunity to shape the future direction of the system and provide input on how we can best work together as a province to achieve our goals," said the minister.
Community consultations are scheduled in Montague, May 17 from 6:45 to 9:15 pm at the Montague Intermediate School; Charlottetown, May 22 from 6:45 to 9:15 pm at Colonel Gray High School Cafeteria; Elmsdale, May 24 from 6:45 to 9:15 pm at Westisle Composite High School; Summerside, May 28 from 6:45 to 9:15 pm at the Linkletter Inn; and in Souris, May 29 from 6:45 to 9:15 pm at the Souris Hospital.
The public is encouraged to call their regional health authority administrative office to register for the consultations and receive an advance copy of the strategic plan. Copies of the plan are also available by calling the Department of Health and Social Services at 368 4900 or Island Information Services at 368 4000. The public may also review and comment on the draft plan by visiting our website at www.gov.pe.ca/hss/strategicplan/index.php3.