The Yukon Party would reduce reduce wait times for essential health procedures if it’s elected next Monday.

Party leader Currie Dixon announced the plan Tuesday during a news conference as the last week of the election kicked into high gear.

“Whether due to the pandemic, systemic challenges, or a lack of resources, the wait times for several important procedures available at Whitehorse General Hospital have lengthened,” he said.

“Quality health care is timely health care. The Yukon Party will take action for a change to reduce wait times and ensure Yukoners get the care they need when they need it.”

The party’s “Wait Time Reduction Strategy” would:

• Collect and compile procedure data from WGH programs and services, laboratory services, and medical imaging.

• Rank and prioritize procedures with backlogged wait times.

• Identify the necessary resources to address these backlogs.

• Consider what procedures should be delivered within the territory.

• Improve public awareness of wait times through a publicly available “dashboard”.

Questioned on the plan by reporters, Dixon didn’t have many more details to offer.

Throughout this campaign, Dixon has been reluctant to put any precise price tags on what the party’s promises would cost. He has repeatedly retreated to saying he and the party believe money can be re-allocated out of the existing budgets, making new financing unnecessary.

“There’s a lot of opportunity to re-arrange things,” he said.

Dixon didn’t directly answer whether dealing with the wait list would require more staff, adding another layer of bureaucracy to the mix.

He said implementing the plan would be a top priority of his government.

Dixon also said “a Yukon Party government will also provide the Yukon Hospital Corporation (YHC) with the stable, predictable funding it needs to deliver quality care, which included an annual increase.

Further to this, a Yukon Party government would also work with the YHC to:

• Develop a capital plan for the corporation.

• Begin construction of a new secure medical unit at the WGH and ensure proper training and protocols are in place.

• Improve surgical services area at the WGH.

• Ensure that capital buildings, equipment purchases, and program improvements are built into the Yukon government’s budget planning.

• Ensure that adequate supports exist for staff at health care facilities to prevent staff burn-out.

Dixon also pledged to improve travel care resources.

“The pandemic has demonstrated that a comprehensive range of care can be delivered remotely,” he said.

“However, when Yukoners are required to travel to receive care, they need better support.”

To help improve access to necessary care, a Yukon Party government would:

• Explore the creation of territorial medical director (which is also a Liberal campaign promise).

• Increase the availability and use of virtual care.

• Improve access to physicians and nurse practitioners based on data from the Find a Family Doctor tool and emergency department usage at the WGH, Watson Lake Community Hospital, and Dawson City Community Hospital.

• Review rural dental services to ensure they are meeting the communities’ needs.

Dixon said he would work with the Yukon Medical Association on all of these ideas. The association issued an open letter a week ago with a list of what it considers to be top priorities for the next government.

He has his eyes on a recruitment and retention strategy for medical professionals as another priority for medical care.