A A

Decision '19.

The Island’s Green leader said the biggest concern he’s hearing at the door during the election campaign is health care.

Peter Bevan-Baker said many Islanders worry about access to a family doctor, government’s ability to address mental health and addictions and available services for seniors.

The Green party provided details Friday on its multi-pronged approach to transforming health care on the Island.

The party said it will approach these challenges with a number of measures to address current pressure points in the system, as well as a longer-term vision of using the social determinants of health to improve the well-being of all Islanders.

The Green platform commits to establishing health-care hubs in rural hospitals to enhance service integration by bringing together a wide range of services, including diagnosis, treatment and support for managing acute and chronic disease.

It also supports the development of collaborative community health centres to ensure local access to primary care.

The Green Party platform commits to improving home care supports and long-term residential care for Island seniors.

On the issue of the recruitment of health professionals, Bevan-Baker said government must look at the systemic barriers to recruitment and retention.

A few of the Green party health-care commitments include providing health professionals the opportunity to work to their full scope of practice, introduce comprehensive midwifery services in several centres with provision for home births where desired and review the legislation for Health P.E.I. with the objective of strengthening its independence and providing greater accountability for health outcomes.

Green Party health care commitments include: