BILL NO. 219

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 60th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
57 Elizabeth II, 2008

Private Member's Bill

Wait Times Accountability Act

H. David Wilson
Glace Bay

First Reading: November 13, 2008

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Wait Times Accountability Act.

2 In this Act,

(a) "Minister" means the Minister of Health;

(b) "Pan Canadian Benchmark" means the benchmark measures established by the First Ministers of Canada in December of 2005;

(c) "prescribed" means prescribed by the regulations;

(d) "procedure" means radiation therapy for cancer, hip and knee replacement surgery, cataract surgery, cardiac bypass surgery and diagnostic imaging procedures;

(e) "Wait Times Reduction Fund" means the Wait Times Reduction Fund established by the Government of Canada.

3 (1) Each month, every facility in the Province that performs a procedure shall, within the prescribed time, report to the Minister such information as may be prescribed.

(2) The Minister shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a monthly report respecting wait times that includes

(a) the total number of procedures completed during a prescribed time period;

(b) the total number of procedures completed to date in the calendar year;

(c) the number of procedures completed during a prescribed time period, as a percentage of the total number of procedures or surgeries completed to date in the calendar year;

(d) the total number of individuals currently waiting to have each procedure;

(e) the number of procedures completed during a prescribed time period, as a percentage of the Pan Canadian Benchmark; and

(f) any other prescribed measurement.

(3) Within fifteen days after the time prescribed for the purpose of subsection (1), the Minister shall table the report referred to in subsection (2) in the House of Assembly if the Assembly is then sitting or, if it is not then sitting, with the Clerk of the Assembly.

4 (1) The Minister shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, an annual report respecting the Wait Times Reduction Fund that includes

(a) the amount of money expended in the Province from the Wait Times Reduction Fund in the preceding fiscal year;

(b) the purpose of any such expenditure; and

(c) the amount of money remaining in the Wait Times Reduction Fund as of the end of the preceding fiscal year.

(2) No later than the thirtieth day of April in each year, the Minister shall table the report referred to in subsection (1) for the previous fiscal year in the House of Assembly if the Assembly is then sitting or, if it is not then sitting, with the Clerk of the Assembly.

5 (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations

(a) prescribing anything that is required to be or may be prescribed for the purpose of this Act;

(b) defining any word or expression used in this Act and not defined in this Act;

(c) respecting any matter or thing that the Governor in Council considers necessary or advisable to carry out effectively the intent and purpose of this Act.

(2) The exercise by the Governor in Council of the authority contained in subsection (1) is regulations within the meaning of the Regulations Act.