Health Care Service Delivery

Health Care Service Delivery

The Health Care Service Delivery Branch includes clinical services provided at community and regional health centres, and the Qikiqtani General Hospital. The Branch also provides mental health, long-term care and home and community support services. The Branch strives to provide culturally relevant services through a holistic, patient-centered approach. It also includes territorial health insurance programs that cover hospital services within Nunavut and other jurisdictions, as well as supplementary health benefits and vital statistics. The Branch coordinates referrals to access health care services within Nunavut and other jurisdictions. This Branch also funds physician and specialist services, including rehabilitation services that are accessed both in and out of territory as required. The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program, administered on behalf of the Government of Canada (Vote 4 funding), is run from this Branch.

Community Health Centres

Community Health Centres (CHCs) provide access to a range of health care and public health care services. Programs cover a range of services including health promotion, illness prevention, primary care and emergency treatment services for the populations in communities across Nunavut.

Health Insurance Programs/Vital Statistics

This program records and issues certificates for births, marriages, and deaths that occur in Nunavut. It registers change of name orders, adoptions, additions of fathers’ details to birth records, and additions or changes of given names. The unit is also responsible for the management and administration of the Nunavut Health Care Plan and Extended Health Benefits. The program administers Non-Insured Health Benefits on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada, including vision, oral health and boarding homes.

Home Care and Community Care

Home Care and Community Care (HCC) offers health related services to Nunavummiut needing care due to illness, poor health, or disability. The objective is to preserve and maximize an individual’s ability to remain independent in the community through case management, nursing, and personal care. This area supports and strengthens family and community involvement in the delivery of care. Services are provided in the clients’ preferred languages whenever possible. Most if not all, home making, and personal care service are provided in Inuktitut. The HCC program specifically helps those at risk in communities, as well as works to improve overall health through prevention. The HCC coordinator participates in national groups and forums in an effort to continue to enhance Nunavut's recognition in Canada and the rest of the world. This program is partially supported by federal funding.

Hospital and Physician Services

Hospital Services are those offered in the Qikiqtani General Hospital. This is a 35-bed acute care hospital, providing inpatient services, operating rooms, 24-hour emergency department, 24-hour diagnostic imaging, and laboratory. The facility provides day surgery and emergency surgeries, regular family practice clinics, a rapid access clinic, and a variety of specialist clinics serving Iqaluit and the Qikiqtaaluk region. Support services also include housekeeping, dietary, respiratory therapy, maintenance, and biomedical engineering.

Long-term Care

Residential Long-term Care services provide 24-hour, 7-day nursing and personal care to elders and other adults who require nursing care and support

Medical Transportation

Medical Transportation provides transportation services for eligible clients and escorts form their home community to services within Nunavut and out-of-territory.

Mental Health and Addictions

Mental Health and Addictions has a mandate to provide a client-centered, comprehensive continuum of care which include assessment, counselling, treatment and referral services to those individuals and families experiencing emotional distress and/or psychiatric disorders. This includes providing support and assistance to communities and groups to better understand and deal effectively with primary, acute, and/or emergency mental health issues, suicide ideations and attempts, self-harming behaviors, high stress, self-esteem and wellness issues, including addictions that limit personal functioning and well-being.

Oral Health

The Oral Health program provides clinical dental services, including specialist, for all Inuit in all communities across the territory. This is funded in partnership with Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB), Territorial Health Investment Fund (THIF), and the Department of Health operations' budget. Oral health promotion and treatment for children aged 0-8 years old is provided through the Nunavut Children's Dental Program. In addition, dental therapy services are offered for children in clinics and schools. For those children up to 12 years of age who have serious dental disease, in-hospital dental services are available.

Out-of-Territory Hospitals

This program is responsible for the payment of out-of-territory hospital services. When patients with a Nunavut Health Care Card are seen in other provinces, the province reciprocally bills the Department of Health for these services.

Professional Practice

Professional Practice promotes, establishes, and maintains professional standards and best practices to protect the public and comply with legislation. This division manages the credentialing, registration, and licensing of 12 legislated health professions. It also administrates the process of investigations of formal complaints received against licensed health professionals. Provides support to frontline workers and management regarding risk, liability, and professional practices of health professionals in Nunavut.

Reciprocal Physician Billings

This program covers the following services for Nunavummiut: inpatient services, outpatient services, specialist services, general practitioner services, rehabilitation services (including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and audiology). The program covers the aforementioned services regardless of whether the service is provided to a Nunavut resident within the territory or outside of the territory. Program expenses include the amounts spent to have health professionals from other jurisdictions visit Nunavut to provide services locally.