Health and Community Services
August 19, 2015

The following is being distributed at the request of the Atlantic Health Ministers:

Atlantic Health Ministers Work Together to Improve Health Outcomes

Atlantic health ministers are working together to improve health care, outcomes and access, and to save money through group procurement.

The Honourable Leo Glavine, Nova Scotia’s Health and Wellness Minister, hosted a meeting of Atlantic health ministers in Halifax today (Wednesday, August 19). Talks focused on ways the provinces can improve collaboration on generic drugs, opioid monitoring, strategic procurement and rural health care.

“We support federal collaboration with provincial and territorial partners so we can tackle critical needs like community-based care, elder care, mental health and pharmacare.”
- The Honourable Leo Glavine, Minister of Health and Wellness, Nova Scotia

The ministers committed to:

• Find ways to expand people's access to generic drugs;
• Continue to enhance opioid monitoring;
• Explore collaborative procurement options, including joint requests for proposals; and
• Find innovative ways to improve rural health care.

“On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, I am proud to continue this work with my Atlantic Canadian counterparts. We have identified a number of key areas where challenges can be met collaboratively including mental health service delivery, pharmacare, care for seniors, rural health care, and strategic procurement. We continue to build momentum towards achieving collaborative solutions on priority heath care issues affecting Atlantic Canadians every day.”
- The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services, Newfoundland and Labrador

“As a province and a region we are providing better access to medications and reinvesting efficiencies back into competing pressures in our health care systems. This fall, our province will launch the first ever Under 65 Generic Drug Plan for the uninsured. We are committed to strong regional collaboration to strengthen regional health care.”
- The Honourable Doug Currie, Minister of Health and Wellness, Prince Edward Island

"Today's meeting was a great opportunity for all Atlantic ministers to gather in the same room to talk about important common health matters that touch New Brunswickers and all Atlantic Canadians.”
- The Honourable Victor Boudreau, Minister of Health, New Brunswick

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2015 08 19                              5:10 p.m.