The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Public Administrator and Regional Wellness Council Chairs gathered last week to discuss their shared priorities.
Leaders from the NTHSSA, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority were also in attendance at the meeting.
“This summer was both busy and challenging across the regions, and I am incredibly proud of how our staff responded and continued to support residents and communities,” said Public Administrator Dan Florizone.
NTHSSA CEO Kimberly Riles reflected on the organization’s efforts over the summer, including the evacuations in the Dehcho Region, as well as an incident in Fort Smith which required a Code Orange response from the local health centre.
The RWC Chairs also expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the NTHSSA and DHSS through a challenging summer season.
The NTHSSA’s efforts to build on their ‘52 in 52’ initiative were also discussed, with the organization working to build a culture of continuous improvement for the benefit of patients and clients.
The groups spoke on staffing challenges and the impact of these vacancies on equitable access to services across the NWT, emphasizing the importance of considering these factors when planning for future recruitment.
The meeting concluded with a review of the NTHSSA’s response to the Dehcho Critical Incident Review, an investigation into the deaths of three Dehcho residents in 2025.
While many of the recommendations have been implemented, the NTHSSA said their next step would be the establishment of a formal working group to support and follow up on the implementation of the remaining recommendations.
“We have made progress on a number of priorities during the first half of the year, but we know there is still much work ahead. As we move into the fall, we remain focused on that work, and I look forward to continuing these important conversations when we meet again in December,” said Florizone.
