News Release

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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CANADA’S NEW GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES PILOT PROJECT FOR WAIT TIME

January 11, 2007
Toronto, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the government is investing $2.6 million in a Wait Time Guarantee pilot project for children in need of surgery. This announcement marks another step forward by Canada’s New Government as it continues to work towards ensuring that all Canadians receive essential medical treatment within clinically acceptable waiting times.

“Ultimately, today’s initiative will lead to a Patient Wait Time Guarantee for all children,” said Prime Minister Harper.

The 15-month pilot project, which begins January 2007, will include the development of the first pan-Canadian wait times information system to measure the burden of waiting times for children who need surgery. It will also include the development of a pan-Canadian clinical recourse plan for children whose surgical wait times fall beyond the clinical access guidelines that were proposed by the National Child and Youth Health Coalition and endorsed by the Paediatric Surgical Chiefs of Canada.

The initial focus of the project will be on six key surgical areas: cardiac, cancer, neurology, sight, spinal deformity, and dental treatment requiring anaesthesia. Within one year, one of these areas will be chosen to test a guarantee that will include recourse for patients who are waiting too long.

“As a parent, I know there’s nothing more heart-wrenching than seeing a child suffer,” said the Prime Minister. “Because they’re Canada’s future, our children deserve the best medical care possible delivered as promptly as possible.”

The project, which is the fourth such wait time guarantee initiative announced to date by Canada’s New Government, will be conducted in partnership with Canada’s 16 paediatric academic health science centres under the leadership of the Paediatric Surgical Chiefs of Canada and The Hospital for Sick Children.

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The Prime Minister’s Office - Communications
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