Health Issues and Gaps in Ontario Health Teams

BRIEFING NOTE
Purpose
The purpose of this briefing note is to address several underlying health issues and gaps to develop solutions to these challenges among Ontario Health Teams.
Background
In the last few decades, governments have established the detrimental effect of their policies and practices on the Aboriginal communities’ welfare. Several issues stem from assimilation, forced relocations, and the abolition of self-determination. Since this realization, there have been efforts to transfer health accountability to Aboriginal communities (“Cancer Care Ontario E-Learning,” 2020). Delivery of health services under programs based on policies and health services were not based on best practices of delivering care and health services. There were complaints from clinicians about the challenges of health delivery and the fact that payments and approvals were delayed. Some medical professionals began to avoid First Nation patients and would prefer patients under insurance programs. Increased mobility rates have been attributed to poor coordination within the healthcare system. Considering events that have led to the current situation, the report outlines:
1960: The Community Health Representative program aimed at providing support to non-Aboriginal nurses who dominated the health service. They also acted as a link between the nurses and the community.
1972: James Bay regime introduced a new local government system and first nations control on education and health authorities.
1979: The Federal Indian Health Policy realizes that the First Nation communities may ignore their responsibility in implementing aspects of their community health programs.
1988: Transfer Agreement imposes responsibility for Universal Health Programs to the government of the Northwest Territories. This development implied that the people of North West Territories would still have access to First Nation’s federal programs.
1988-1989: The Cabinet and Treasury approve the transfer of Indian and Inuit Health services to the control of First Nations and Inuit.
1995: The policy of Inherent Right to Self-Government Policy acknowledges that the First Nations’ self-government right to control health services.
Current Issues
Some of the health equity issues among Indigenous people could be addressed by employing a self-determination approach. There is poor coordination of health services between provincial health centers and aboriginal community-based centers. Furthermore, there are limited family physicians in rural communities. There are also challenges of accessing services by FNIM communities who, in most cases, lack family physicians or primary caregivers. Remote communities lack access to regular aftercare services, and patients in remote areas cover long distances to access treatment centers. Rural areas have an insufficient allocation of budget to access skilled cancer or diabetes specialists in those areas. Provincial...