MLAs call for critical incident investigation into deaths

Regular MLAs are calling on the NWT government to investigate the deaths of three residents in the Dehcho region.

Kate Reid, the MLA for Great Slave, made a motion in the NWT legislature on Thursday requesting that the health minister appoint a person to conduct critical incident investigations into the treatment of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hillary Norwegian.

She asked that the minister then provide recommendations from that investigation and a response plan.

While few details were given, in an emotional statement, Reid said “unnecessarily delayed treatment for a treatable illness” had contributed to the deaths of the three people. She said they were “examples of substandard healthcare for Indigenous people” in the territory.

“All these three individuals did not have to pass away. If the system worked properly, we would not have these highly preventable deaths,” she said.

Reid said she was making the motion as family members wanted the lack of adequate healthcare services in communities to be addressed. She said she believed a critical incident review would provide the health minister with the necessary tools to improve the healthcare system.

“These communities feel that the system does not care for them. They feel that they are not important. They simply want to access appropriate care and to be taken seriously in times of emergency,” she said.

The MLA noted that four communities in the Dehcho region have a health cabin, with limited access to services, rather than a health centre.

The motion was seconded by Sheyl Yakeleya, the MLA for the Dehcho electoral district. (While sharing the same name, Yakeleya’s district does not include all communities in the Dehcho region.)

She said the territory needs to examine the issue of medevacs, while staff who work at health cabins need a higher level of training to administer life-saving medications or intravenous fluids.

‘These tragedies will not be ignored’

Health minister Lesa Semmler shared condolences to those affected and said she recognized family members’ need for answers, accountability and meaningful change regarding the death of their loved ones.

“It is critical that we examine these incidents thoroughly and use every tool available to strengthen patient safety,” she said.

“I want to assure the families and communities affected that their voices matter and that these tragedies will not be ignored.”

Semmler said three investigations are currently under way through the NWT health authority’s quality assurance framework, which is designed to “improve the quality of care without our health system and to ensure that lessons are learned and acted upon.”

She said while critical incident investigations are different, they could happen at the same time.

The motion passed with nine regular MLAs in support and seven cabinet members abstaining. The government has 120 days to respond.

Non-medical escorts in emergencies

Regular MLAs supported a second motion on Thursday calling on the NWT government to develop and implement a policy regarding non-medical escorts for patients in critical condition.

Kieron Testart, the MLA for Range Lake, proposed the motion. He said there is currently no such policy when people are transported by ambulance or emergency medevac in the NWT.

He said non-medical escorts are essential to provide emotional support, cultural assistance and translation, as well as help with paperwork, care plans and – in some cases – make end-of-life decisions.

“While the immediate rush to the appropriate medical centre for life-saving treatment comes at a huge relief to that person’s family or loved ones, if that patient remains in serious condition or even incapacitation, it would be wholly inappropriate or even irresponsible to leave them in a hospital hundreds of kilometres away without the support of their families,” he said.

Testart said the lack of a policy or financial support for non-medical escorts in these cases meant several of his constituents had to dig into their savings and pay out of pocket for travel to be with family members in care.

“It pains me to think that there are those who are not as fortunate as some of my constituents in being able to scrape together the funds necessary to unite with their loved ones,” he said.

“Imagine if they could not be there if their family member passed away while they were stuck in Yellowknife because there was no proper non-medical escort policy for medical evacuations.”

Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Denny Rodgers, who seconded the motion, said it was about compassion and “doing the right thing.”

Other MLAs shared stories of constituents facing challenges due to the lack of support for non-medical escorts.

Safety and money concerns

Health minister Semmler said ground and air ambulances, as well as highway rescue vehicles, do not allow non-medical escorts to accompany patients for safety reasons.

“In emergency medical transport, the priority is to provide care to the patient,” she said. “This is not intended to be insensitive to the family or loved ones, however, it’s important for safety reasons.”

Semmler said the NWT government is considering options for non-medical escorts on compassionate grounds as part of its modernization of medical travel.

She cautioned, however, that increasing the number of non-medical escorts would impact boarding home capacity – an issue that was recently raised in the assembly – and increase costs.

“We must continue to ensure that the public funds that we have [are] focused on the delivery of essential health services with a limited budget,” she said.

Shauna Morgan, the MLA for Yellowknife North, said while she understood that escorts may not be able to travel on ambulances or medevac helicopters, the territorial government could support other travel arrangements.

She noted that NWT residents who are well enough to travel by commercial flight to access medical care outside their communities may be eligible to have an escort fly with them.

“I’m hopeful that other ways can be found to make this happen in a practical and safe way that acknowledges the need,” Morgan said.

“I know it’s going to cost money, as things do, but I believe that this is an important area to look at.”

The motion passed with eight regular MLAs voting in favour and seven cabinet members abstaining. The government has 120 days to respond.