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The Health Action Plan:
Primary Health Care
September 11, 2000
Coordinated action to ensure Canadians have reasonably timely
access to high quality primary health care -- the front line of the Canadian
health care system - is a cornerstone of the Health Action Plan agreed to by all
First Ministers
Currently, health care providers such as doctors, nurses,
physiotherapists, social workers and nutritionists work somewhat in isolation.
Governments are trying to simplify and coordinate their work so that Canadians
receive the right service by the right provider at the right time.
Accordingly, under the Health Action Plan, governments have
agreed on common priorities for coordinated and innovative initiatives to
address shortages and blockages in the delivery of primary care, such as:
- The shortage of doctors and nurses;
- Waiting lists for tests and surgery and other specialized
treatments; and,
- Access to health promotion and disease prevention
programs.
To assist provinces with initiatives, the Government of Canada
will invest $800 million over 4 years -- beginning in 2001-02. These funds will
be available to help with transition costs in moving to more flexible models for
delivering health care.
The common approach will build on the success of the Health
Transition Fund (HTF) which we created in 1997 to support provincial pilot
projects that test new, primary health care models.
With the support of the HTF, all jurisdictions have had
success experimenting with models of renewed primary health care, resulting in
better health outcomes, improved access, more satisfied providers and the relief
of pressures elsewhere in the health system, such as emergency rooms.
Under the Health Action Plan, funds will be invested to help
support the transitional costs of large-scale, primary health care initiatives.
Governments will agree in advance on specific criteria in
terms of eligible costs and the features of the new primary health care models.
As with the HTF, projects must be approved by both levels of government
There will be flexibility for provinces and territories to set
their own course for primary health care reform..
Governments will report publicly on changes in how primary
health care is being delivered and how this is improving access to front-line
services.
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