The 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal
The agreement reached by the First Ministers on February 5, 2003, sets
out a plan for reforms to improve access to quality health care for Canadians.
This plan builds on the September 2000 First Ministers' agreement on health.
Its reform themes are consistent with the recommendations of the Romanow
Commission and the Kirby Senate Committee,
as well as those of numerous provincial commissions on health reform.
In the 2003 Budget, the Government of Canada supported the Accord, providing
additional health care funding of $17.3 billion over the next three years
and $34.8 billion over the next five years. A total of $85 million of
the 2003 Budget has been specifically allocated for the HHR Strategy:
- $9.5 billion in increased cash transfers to provinces and territories
over the next five years;
- $2.5 billion in a Canada Health and Social Transfer supplement to
relieve existing pressures, available to provinces and territories until
the end of 2005-06;
- $16 billion over five years in a Health Reform Fund for the provinces
and territories to target primary care, home care, and catastrophic
drug coverage;
- $1.5 billion to improve access to publicly funded diagnostic services;
- $600 million to accelerate the development of a national system of
electronic health records;
- $500 million for research hospitals;
- $1.6 billion in direct Health Accord initiatives; and
- $1.4 billion for other initiatives in support of health reform.
Regarding the health planning, coordination, and partnerships programme,
the Accord stated that appropriate planning and management of HHR is key
to ensuring that Canadians have access to the health services they need,
now and in the future. Specifically, it identified that collaborative
strategies will be undertaken to:
- strengthen the evidence base for national planning;
- promote interprofessional provider education;
- improve recruitment and retention; and
- ensure the supply of needed health providers (including nurse practitioners,
pharmacists and diagnostic technologists).
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