Fort Nelson, B.C. health services on the table for Fort Liard, N.W.T. residents as parties meet
The territorial government is holding discussions with Northern Health B.C. on the possibility of expanding medical services available to N.W.T. residents, something people in Fort Liard, N.W.T. have been calling for, for months.
Fort Nelson, B.C. has a hospital with labs, basic obstetrics and addiction services, as well as public health unit, and is just about a two hour drive from Fort Liard. But residents of Fort Liard are often reliant on Yellowknife, a 10-hour drive away, for services that aren't available at its own local health centre.
Shane Thompson, the MLA for Nahendeh, says there is hope that may be changing soon.
He says if an agreement is established, it would allow for medical records to be shared between Northern Health B.C. and the N.W.T. health-care system. This would give residents the opportunity to use Fort Nelson for more day-to-day health-care services.
"My understanding when I talked to the minister is that's what they're trying to work on and finalize," Thompson said.
Andrew Wind, a spokesperson for the N.WT. department of health and social services, wrote in an email that the "Department and NTHSSA are beginning discussions to now formalize the relationship with Northern Health B.C."
"Identification of key contacts for this work in the N.W.T. and B.C. has occurred with parties expected to meet in the coming weeks."
Thompson says he's expecting an update from the N.W.T.'s health minister on the subject in September.
What would the agreement mean?
All residents with an N.W.T. health card can access health care from B.C., but in the same way that they can access health care in all the other provinces and territories.
Medically required services are billed directly to the Department of Health and Social Services, also called "reciprocal billing arrangements." But this often doesn't include things like routine health examinations, some dental work and eye care for example.
Wind, the spokesperson for N.W.T. Health and Social Services, says the discussions with Northern Health B.C. are around determining "impacts for accessing service beyond those typically available through reciprocal billing arrangements."
CBC News asked what services could become available to N.W.T. residents if an agreement is reached, but didn't receive an immediate response.
Thompson said his understanding is that Fort Liard and nearby Nahanni Butte residents could access the more basic health care services in Fort Nelson, whereas issues like surgery would still need to be done in Yellowknife or Edmonton.
A web page on health services available in Fort Nelson says there are pharmacies, dental offices, a family doctor, addiction and counselling services and social programs.
Rose Betthale-Reid, a Fort Liard resident, said she is thrilled to hear about the discussions.
"It's a lot shorter to travel to, and it's not an overnight thing, they can come on home after their appointments," she said.
Rose Betthale-Reid says she is thrilled to hear the N.W.T. Department of Health and health authority are in discussions with the B.C. government on expanding available health care services to residents of Fort Liard. (Luke Carroll/CBC)
Betthale-Reid said it will make it easier for family members to be with loved ones who need medical care, as it is costly to travel to Yellowknife.
"Sometimes we have to start scrounging for money to be with our loved one," she said.
Betthale-Reid said under the current situation, if Fort Liard residents do travel to Fort Nelson for medical care need to pay for their own gas and accommodations, which is costly.
The issue was highlighted before the 2023 N.W.T. election as a major issue to the Dehcho community.
Thompson says a similar agreement was in the process of being established in the 18th assembly, but when the 19th assembly came into office COVID-19 struck, closing borders and derailing it.
"Now we're working on it during this assembly, we're hoping by September we're going to have some good movement," he said.
