NLIS 5
September 30, 2002
(Health and Community Services)

 

Minister releases comparable health indicators report

For the first time ever, provincial and territorial health ministers have reported to their citizens concurrently on a set of comparable health indicators. The reports provide Canadians with reliable information about the health of the population and the performance of the health system.

In September 2000, First Ministers issued a Communiqu� on Health in which they agreed to provide clear accountability reporting to Canadians, beginning in September 2002. Over the past two years, health ministries from all provinces, territories and the federal government have been working to select and to report on a set of comparable health indicators to the public.

Gerald Smith, Minister of Health and Community Services, today released the report for this province, Health Scope: Reporting to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians on Comparable Health and Health System Indicators. The report identifies indicators that address three main areas: health status, outcomes of health services, and quality of health services. It compares these indicators for Newfoundland and Labrador with those of the other Atlantic provinces and Canada, as a whole.

"I am pleased to report that overall, the health status of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians is comparable to that of the rest of Canada. Our province was comparable to the national rate for over 75 per cent of the indicators presented in the report," said Minister Smith.

"However, while we are comparable in many areas, we realize there are still areas which need improvement. Our province does have high rates for modifiable risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity and obesity which do have negative effects on the health of our population, including high rates of death due to heart attacks, strokes and some cancers. The development and implementation of a provincial Wellness Strategy, as identified in our recently released strategic health plan, will help us to improve in those areas."

"Health Scope is the first step toward regular health system performance reporting to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is another example of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador�s continuing commitment to accountability within the health and community services system," concluded Minister Smith.

Copies of the report are available at www.gov.nl.ca/health

Media contact: Diane Keough, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

2002 09 30                                         4:10 p.m.


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