SLMHC Update
Delivery of healthcare to First Nations communities
In late August Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care, George Smitherman, was interviewed by the Globe and Mail and made the following comments, "[Native communities in Northern Ontario] and their leaders' determination to confront the problems have left [me] 'excited and inspired' [in trying] to bring about major changes to health care.
I think we can learn a lot from some of what has been done up there. I think there are a lot of good lessons on health care for the challenges of better-integrated services. What is now emerging [in Sioux Lookout] is one hospital ... [that] will play a leadership role in the delivery of healthcare to First Nations communities. There will be lessons, protocols, experience that will emerge from that place that will help inform hospitals that are delivering care to first-nations people in urban environments."