You can see the Health Network’s media release here: http://bit.ly/u1gsOS

The last Health Accord in 2004 stabilized funding for public health care, but it did little to stop for-profit privatization.  It also failed to set new national standards or extend Medicare to include new services.  In 2014, we need action on these three key areas.  In 2014 we need to Protect, Strengthen and Extend Medicare.

The Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network is calling on Health Minister Maureen MacDonald, and other provincial health ministers to:

- Protect Medicare by stopping the growth of private, for-profit health care

- Strengthen Medicare through increased federal funding and new national standards

- Extend Medicare to include important health care services Canadians need, like pharmacare, continuing care and dental care.

This is a once in a decade opportunity to achieve lasting change in public health care.

When Medicare was initially envisioned it included two phases.  Medicare Phase 1 was about hospitals and doctors and making sure people had access to the emergency care they need on a regular basis.  Medicare Phase 2 was suppose to be about keeping people healthy in the first place by investing in prevention, primary care, and the social determinants of health.  Decades later, we’re still waiting for Phase 2.  Let’s make it happen in 2014.

Come to the press conference at 10 am today at Province House.

Or come to the town hall meeting tonight featuring Maude Barlow and give your feedback on your priorities for 2014.  Doors open at 6:00 pm with the event starting at 6:30.  It all happens at St Andrew’s United Church Hall, 6063 Coburg Rd.

You can also join us for a Rally to Protect, Strengthen, Extend Medicare at 12 noon at Victoria Park (Spring Garden and South Park) on Friday, Nov 25.

Hope to see you there!

The Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network and our allies have launched a new billboard here in Halifax.  If you live near by you can check it out at the corner of Gottingen and Almon.

If you don’t live near by, here’s a pic taken by Adrienne Silnicki at the Council of Canadians.

Don’t forget the town hall and rally later this week!

I’ll be stopping in New Glasgow along the way, and traveling with my friend Suzanne McNeil (Known as @Esooze on Twitter)

There will be pics and posts while I’m on the road, but for now here is the press release http://bit.ly/tplP70

The Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network and the Council of Canadians invite you to a Town Hall meeting and a Rally on the 2014 Health Accord and the campaign to Protect, Strengthen and Extend Medicare.

The provincial and territorial health ministers will be meeting in Halifax on Nov 24 and 25 to begin negotiations for the 2014 Health Accord. The Health Accord is a negotiated agreement between the provincial, territorial and federal governments on funding for public health care into the future. Given the political situation at the federal level, there is a very real possibility that the federal government will cut funding for public health care.

We want to welcome the health ministers to Halifax and make sure they put patients needs first in these negotiations.

TOWN HALL
Thursday, Nov 24, 6:30 pm
St Andrews United Church (Robie and Coburg)
Key Note Speaker: Maude Barlow, Author, Activist and National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians

RALLY
Friday, Nov 25, 12:00 noon
Victoria Park (Spring Garden and South Park)

Come out to hear more about the campaign and to give your feedback on the issues that should be addressed in the 2014 Health Accord.

Check out http://2014HealthAccord.ca for more info and complete list of speakers.

Or check out the events on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/rEprVj and http://on.fb.me/sNdZ83

For more information contact kyle@nsheathcoalition.ca

If your organization is interested in endorsing these actions please contact us.

http://on.fb.me/ncim5M

Click the link, RSVP, then share it on your wall and invite your friends… please

We had about two dozen folks turn out in Yarmouth to hear more about the Accord and to provide feedback on a Citizens’ Agenda for 2014.

We heard some incredible stories and some heartbreaking stories.

Like from Barbara, a senior who has lived in Yarmouth her whole life:

” I worked all my life, now I’m on a pension.  I recently had my cataracts done, and it cost over $500, that’s just for one.   My sons helped me.  But now, one ear is deaf.  I called to ask how much a hearing aid would be, they said $1600-$1700… I sat at my kitchen table and said, well you’re still going to be half deaf…   My husband had a stroke at 48, we had hard times but we managed.  But now that I need, I can’t afford it…”

Or Michelle, who works with women in the Tri County area:

“There is a major lack of doctors and referrals – we have a ton of women who call looking for a prescription for birth control or STI testing, and there is no where to send them.  People end up going to the emergency room. Its often like banging our heads against the wall.”

Jim, a local health care worker said:

” I work as an LPN at the hospital.  I see a lot of seniors in acute care beds because there is no place for them to go.   Not talking just a couple, sometimes up to 43 that I know of. “

The goal of our town hall meetings is to put a human face to the 2014 Health Accord.  The Health Network will be gathering stories and compiling them into a report when we have completed all of the town halls.  If you have a story to tell about why we need to Protect, Strengthen and Extend Medicare, drop us a line, kyle@nshealthcoalition.ca.

That’s all for now, more later!

(As a side note: The leaves have started to change across Nova Scotia and the colours were incredible on the drive!)

Today I was speaking to the CAW Health Council, which is made up of front-line health care workers in acute care and long-term care across Nova Scotia. 

After my presentation we decided to do a quick info picket outside the Colchester Regional Hospital on the 2014 Health Accord.  We distributed a ton of window signs and got a bunch of great pics.  Next it will be off to Pictou county.  Stay tuned!

Health Network Tour Arrives in Truro

Truro, NS – The Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network’s summer tour arrives in Truro today.  The Health Network is working to raise awareness around the coming 2014 Health Accord.

“Our message is very simple,” says Kyle Buott, Coordinator of the Health Network.  “In 2014 the politicians need to protect public health care by stopping privatization, strengthen Medicare through long-term funding and new national standards, and most importantly, extend Medicare to include pharmacare and long-term care.”

The Health Network is holding meetings in Truro with CAW Health Council and will distribute window signs that say “2014 Health Accord Must: Protect, Strengthen, Extend Medicare”.

The Health Network will also hold an information picket today at 11:45 am outside the Colchester Regional Hospital on Willow St to distribute information.

To get a window sign contact kyle@nshealthcoalition.ca.  Tour updates are available at http://nscitizenshealthcarenetwork.wordpress.com/ or on Twitter: @NSHealthNetwork

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We held a mini-rally in Sydney on Wednesday, a big thank you to Evan and Rebecca for all their hard work and to the supporting organizations, the AIDS Coalition of Cape Breton and the Cape Breton District Labour Council.

We also managed to make a few quick stops in Glace Bay and at the Steel Workers Memorial in Ashby.

All in all we have now been to 15 of 18 counties.  Only Colchester, Cumberland and Pictou Counties remain for our summer tour.  We have distributed about 3200 window signs around the province and will be planning a second print run since there is so much interest.

Altogether we have clocked over 2500 kms so far this summer helping to raise awareness of the 2014 Health Accord.  More to come and stay tuned for tour events in Central Nova Scotia.

After Baddeck it was off to Inverness for an afternoon information picket.  Big thanks to Anne from the Council of Canadians- Inverness Chapter for helping to organizing the action.  The Inverness Oran stopped by and we handed out more than 100 window signs.  We also dropped some signs off with the Central Inverness Community Health Board.

Next it was off to Cheticamp to meet with some folks from Operation Maple, which is working to use social media to help inform folks about important progressive issues, like health care, http://www.operationmaple.com/.  We also managed to drop some signs and literature off with local folks.

Finally it was back to Sydney for the night and to get ready for our rally today (Wednesday the 24th) at 3:00 pm outside the CBRM Civic Centre.  Hope to see you there!