What GNWT will do after investigation into ‘preventable’ Dehcho deaths

The NWT government says it has accepted all 18 recommendations made by investigators who examined the deaths of three Dehcho residents in early 2025.

In March last year, regular MLAs led a motion on behalf of several families calling for an investigation into the deaths of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hillary Norwegian.

Exactly what happened to each person has not been made public and the bulk of the investigation remains secret. Last year, Great Slave MLA Kate Reid said “unnecessarily delayed treatment for a treatable illness” had contributed to their deaths.

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

She described how multiple communities in the region have only a health cabin, a small facility where staff “work about four hours a day” and, if weather does not cooperate, communities “can go months without seeing a nurse.”

In a statement on Friday as the GNWT set out its response, newly appointed health minister Denny Rodgers – who voted to open an investigation at the time, as a regular MLA – said “nothing can undo” what took place.

“These investigations have raised serious concerns about the delivery of health services, particularly in small communities. They have also identified areas where the system needs to improve,” Rodgers was quoted as saying.

“Healthcare providers in our small and remote communities work hard, often in difficult conditions, and they need the right systems, resources and support to provide safe, quality care.”

The GNWT said it had completed one of the 18 recommendations, 13 were accepted and four were “accepted in principle.”

However, in several cases, the territory said it did not have the resources to put a timeline on any changes even when it accepted change must happen.

For example, the GNWT said it accepted that people in key roles need manageable workloads and proper supports, but said it needs more resources to make sure of that and does not know when it will possess those resources.

Similarly, the GNWT agrees it’s a good idea to publish regional medevac response time data but doesn’t currently have the right data or any sense of when it will.

Told to make sure “video-enabled services” and wireless internet are available in all patient areas, the GNWT said it would take a look when building new facilities or embarking on major retrofits, but made no promises.

Here’s a breakdown of every recommendation.

The recommendations are in bold with the GNWT response beneath each one. In each case, the text shown is Cabin Radio’s simplified summary of longer descriptions that are published in the full document.

Completed work

Create and strengthen respectful workplace and psychological safety policies, including ways for staff to report concerns without fear of reprisal.
There are “established approaches to ensure workplace respect and psychological safety” in place.

Accepted recommendations

Establish clear level of care standards for health cabins.
Standards will be reviewed and updated by 2027-28.

Conduct regular inspections and monitoring to ensure compliance with those standards.
An approach to this will be in place by 2028-29.

Ensure appropriate staffing at health cabins and out-of-hours emergency access.
Needs the level of care standards first, then time to address gaps. Listed as “pending resources.”

Ensure access to facilities after hours is clearly defined and communicated.
Communication and documentation are being reviewed and strengthened this fiscal year.

Plan to maintain “appropriate” service at health cabins if there’s a reduction in service at a hub community. Clearly communicate any reduction in or suspension of health cabin service.
Existing procedure will be updated and standardized by 2028-29.

Define and standardize the minimum clinical competencies and mandatory certifications required for registered nurses working as community health nurses.
Work on this has taken place but can’t be implemented until gaps in resources are addressed. No timeline attached.

Examine roles like nurse-in-charge in hub communities to make sure the workload and supports are appropriate.
A preliminary analysis is complete but changes can’t be implemented until gaps in resources are addressed. No timeline attached.

Strengthen recruitment and retention.
Extra measures have been identified but the resources to implement them don’t yet exist. No timeline attached.

Improve the procedures for dispensing medication at health cabins.
A policy has been drafted and is being piloted, full implementation in 2027-28.

Make sure facilities are stocked with supplies and equipment.
A list of “supplies and related processes” has been developed and is being piloted. Standardized requirements will be established and this item completed by 2028-29.

Better define what community health workers are expected to do, then give them the right training and support.
This is being worked on in conjunction with the work on standards mentioned above. Estimated completion in 2028-29.

Add virtual diagnostic tools if they help.
This is starting to happen and could be expanded. Timeline: this fiscal year.

Make sure the NWT’s next electronic medical records system supports a “one patient, one record” and “no wrong door” approach.
The territory is working on a new records system and “supports the intention” of this recommendation. When that system will arrive isn’t clear.

Accepted ‘in principle’

Publish regional medevac response time data.
This needs extra resources for monitoring and reporting plus new data standards. Communication with communities about expected medevac response times “will be enhanced” in the meantime. No estimate for when data might be published.

Offer “video-enabled services” in all patient care areas.
What this would take will be examined for all new builds and major retrofits from now on. No commitment to do this in all areas.

Give health facilities satellite telecoms in case the cable phones and internet go down. Make sure the wi-fi works everywhere.
“Options for greater internet connectivity” will be examined for new builds and retrofits. No commitment to implement anything across the board. Existing health centres have satellite phones and antennae.

Ensure all clinical services contractors – medevacs, virtual services, ambulances – have terms in their contracts that clearly set out responsibilities around records.
This might not apply to all clinical contracts and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.