Health Care Policy

The Green Party of Saskatchewan recognizes that an effective health system requires that clean air, clean water, and healthy food are available to all Saskatchewan citizens. Green MLAs will advocate for preventative healthcare as key part of our healthcare system. We need a “health” care system, not a sickness system. Fostering preventative healthcare will greatly reduce sky-rocketing healthcare costs to the public purse and our growing dependency on pharmeceuticals while improving the lives of people all across this province. Preventative healthcare educational efforts are important tools for preventing H1N1 outbreaks in our communites as we face the risk of a pandemic.

Green MLAs will promote preventative health care policies that keep the residents of Saskatchewan healthy, fit and out of the hospital. · Ensure that every resident has a right to clean air, clean water, and safe, healthy food.
· Require greater involvement of people dealing with personal mental health problems in decision-making for all policy that affects their lives and communities.
· Endorse the Saskatchewan Medical Association’s call for a baseline health study of the entire population of Saskatchewan over a period of ten years at a cost of $10 million to, amongst other important uses, determine the health effects of a wide range of environmental pollutants, toxins, chemicals, as well as the health effects of mining industries on the workers and surrounding communities.
· Expand funding for youth and recreational sports programs to increase access and participation.
· Mandate and fund healthy food programs in schools while banning pop and junk food vending machines.

Green Party MLAs will:
· Support the 5 principles of Medicare: Public Administration, Comprehensiveness, Universality, Portability and Accessibility
· Promote preventative health care policies that keep the residents of Saskatchewan healthy, fit and out of the hospital.
· Advocate for the creation of birthing centers and invest in midwifery programs
· Invest in new forms of rural emergency health care such as helicopter ambulances.
· Ensure that every resident has a right to clean air, clean water, and safe/healthy, accessible food.

Health care
Be it resolved that the Green Party of Saskatchewan support a re-investment of public funds into the health care system to ensure that the five basic principles of the Canada Health Act -- universality, comprehensiveness, accessibility, portability and public administration -- are firmly upheld.

Community health centres
Be it resolved that the Green Party of Saskatchewan encourage as a model of primary service delivery, the expansion of community health centres that employ a salaried team of multi-disciplinary providers and are community-controlled.

Effective health system requires healthy environment
BE IT RESOLVED that a Green Party of Saskatchewan Government recognizes that an effective health system requires that healthy air, water and food is available to all Saskatchewan citizens.

Community voice for health policies
BE IT RESOLVED that a Green Party of Saskatchewan Government will create a democratic participatory process for an effective community voice in determining health policy at local levels.

Expanding health supports
BE IT RESOLVED that a Green Party of Saskatchewan Government will support the introduction of more community health centres, pharma-care, alternative medicine, dental care and home care.

Support preventative health care
BE IT RESOLVED that a Green Party of Saskatchewan Government will support preventative health care, considering social, economic and environmental factors.

Ambulance costs to be under medicare
Be it resolved that a Green Party of Saskatchewan Government will include costs for ambulance transportation under medicare when such transport is declared necessary by an attending physician; such declaration to be made before or after the use of the ambulance service.

Restore position of Provincial Dietician
Be it resolved that the GPS support the re-establishment of the Provincial Dietician position which was abolished by the Romanow / Calvert government.

Restore public health library
Be it resolved that the GPS would re-establish the provincial public health library for public education on health issues.

Support costs incurred by diabetics
Be it resolved that the GPS cover the costs of insulin to diabetics, with priority on a low-income needs basis and provide free chemical strips and swabs to all diabetics.

A New and Different Health Policy
A GPS government will follow policies based on prevention of illness, support for the five principles of Medicare, and the right of all to healthy food, clean water, clean air, good housing and a just standard of living.