Pages 157-159 in G. Pétursdóttir et al., eds. Circumpolar Health 93. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 20-25, 1993. Arctic Medical Research. 1994;53(Suppl.2)
Community Health Planning and Development, Ontario Region, Medical Services Branch, Health and Welfare Canada
Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, Ontario, Canada
Source
Pages 157-159 in G. Pétursdóttir et al., eds. Circumpolar Health 93. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 20-25, 1993. Arctic Medical Research. 1994;53(Suppl.2)
The federal government operates several "Indian Hospitals" across Canada. One of these is in Sioux Lookout, a small town in northwestern Ontario, where it exists alongside a provincial hospital. In 1987, the federal government announced plans to amalgamate the hospitals and to transfer responsibility for the operations to a local hospital board. This caused concern amongst First Nations in the area fearing loss of service, lack of input into planning, and a lessening of the federal role in health care. A hunger strike at the hospital brought national attention to health issues in the area, and the Scott-McKay-Bain Panel was formed to examine the issues. This panel reported in 1989 and had two major recommendations: establishment of a Native health authority for community-based programs, and unification of the hospitals with Native involvement in planning and majority native Board representation. Since that time, work has begun on both the Aboriginal Health Authority and the amalgamation of the hospitals. Concepts such as primary health care, participatory research, community involvement, the movement of resources from the institution to the community, and the role of the federal government in aboriginal health care have been brought forward in these discussions. In addition, a partnership between the federal and provincial governments, the town of Sioux Lookout, and the first Nations of the Sioux Lookout area has developed. This paper outlines the background and recommendations of the Scott-McKay-Bain Report, the activities that have taken place since the report, and the key concepts and issues as Sioux Lookout moves to a new partnership in health care delivery.