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x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r ' s m e s s
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Physician input essential as new “health deal” unfolds |
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Now that a
“new health deal” between the federal government and provinces has
been signed, the drama of the First Ministers Conference on Health
will shift from Ottawa to provincial capitals. |
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Now
that a “new health deal” between the federal government and
provinces has been signed, the drama of the First Ministers
Conference on Health will shift from Ottawa to provincial capitals.
The cast of characters will also change. Here in Newfoundland and
Labrador, Premier Williams will assume the position previously held
by the Prime Minister and the premiers will be replaced by the
stakeholders of the health care system. Instead of the three-day
marathon, the next scenes will be played out over weeks and months.
Although
the infusion of new federal money to our health system will be
welcome, it will not be enough to meet the future needs of this
province. Steps taken by the government to extract maximum
efficiency from the system are already underway by streamlining the
administrative infrastructure. Once these measures are in place,
government attention will most certainly be shifted to how and where
health services will be organized and delivered. This will likely
not be an entirely painless exercise. At the same time, the
Memorandum of Agreement** between the government and the NLMA is
entering its final year.
The
health care system of this province is at a crucial juncture and it
is imperative that we engage government in a forthright and
organized fashion over the next year. Our ability to represent
members and to serve the public interest effectively is directly
related to your active involvement. During the next three months, we
will be turning to all our members for your input and ideas. A
number of special arrangements are being put into place to ensure
that our consultation with members is thorough and timely. You will
be hearing a great deal more over the next few weeks.
The
NLMA understands the fiscal challenges of our province and is
committed to cooperating with the government in pursuit of its goals
for a stable and prosperous future. Over the last three years we
have made important strides to better anchor the medical workforce
in Newfoundland and Labrador. We will need to continue moving
forward with the same spirit of goodwill and compromise — on both
sides. |
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Nexus
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Nexus
DEFINED
A connected group or series; a bond, a connection.
Nexus is
published quarterly for Newfoundland and Labrador's physicians. It is a forum for
the exchange of views, ideas and information for members.
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