The Nova Scotia Department of Health, the district health authorities and the IWK have a shared mission to work together to empower individuals, families, partners, and communities to promote, improve and maintain the health of Nova Scotians through a proactive and sustainable health care system.
The Department of Health sets strategic direction for the health system through:
- Direction and support of health transformation initiatives
- Funding to district health authorities and provincial programs, including ground and air ambulance programs
- Development and support of provincial programs and initiatives
- Administration of continuing care services, the Senior’s Pharmacare Program and the Family Pharmacare Program
- Policy, legislation and standards
Nova Scotia's health services are delivered by nine district health authorities and the IWK. These health authorities deliver health care services to residents and are responsible for all hospitals, community health services, mental health services and public health programs in their districts.
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The first of 11 new long-term care facilities announced by the province in December 2007 opened, May 27 2009. - Debert Court in Colchester County is the first long-term care facility in Nova Scotia built using the Department of Health's new design standards which emphasize smaller, one-storey buildings with more home-like surroundings.
"Our goal is to give Nova Scotians a comfortable place to live that they can call home," said Keith Menzies, the Department of Health's executive director of continuing care.
Debert Court is part of the province's Continuing Care Strategy that will create 1,600 new beds and replace 1,300 beds by 2015-16.
Shannex, which was awarded nine of the 11 new long-term care facilities, will operate Debert Court. When full, the facility will be home to 36 people who require nursing home-level support.
"With the opening of Debert Court, we are able to bring individuals who have been waiting in other facilities back to their home area where they will be closer to their family and friends", said Jason Shannon, chief operating officer of Shannex. "The community has welcomed us warmly, and we are pleased that more than 45 individuals from Debert and surrounding areas have decided to join the Shannex team, and are now employed at Debert Court."
Debert Court has three interior households. Each household has a kitchen, living room and dining room plus 12 private suites. Each suite has a wheelchair-accessible washroom. An outdoor garden can be accessed from the living room of each household so residents can enjoy outdoor activities.
Residents have access to 24-hour nursing care, medical services, nutrition services, pharmacy services, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. A variety of recreation programs and activities are available.
Access to Debert Court is through the Department of Health's Continuing Care Services at 1-800-225-7225.
News Releases
- Mise à jour sur le virus H1N1 (grippe porcine chez l'être humain), le 30 juin
- Des cas du virus H1N1 (grippe porcine chez l'être humain) continuent d'être signalés en Nouvelle-Écosse. Trois cas supplémentaires d'hospitalisation ont été confirmés aujourd'hui 30 juin dans la régie régionale de la santé Capital et au centre de santé IWK. - 2009/06/30 - 13:01
- H1N1 (Human Swine Influenza) Update, June 30
- Cases of H1N1 (human swine influenza) continue to be reported in Nova Scotia. Three additional hospitalized cases were confirmed today, June 30, within the Capital District Health Authority and the IWK. - 2009/06/30 - 13:00
- Mise à jour sur le virus H1N1 (grippe porcine chez l'être humain), le 11 juin
- REMARQUE : Une version « médias sociaux » de ce communiqué de presse, accompagnée de photos, d'audioclips et de vidéo clips, sera disponible plus tard aujourd'hui (en anglais seulement) sur le site www.gov.ns.ca/news/smr/20090611002HEALTH-HPP.asp . Le système de santé publique de la Nouvelle-Écosse continue de surveiller le virus H1N1 (grippe porcine chez l'être humain) et de réagir en conséquence. La décision prise aujourd'hui 11 juin par l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) d'augmenter l'alerte pandémique au niveau 6 ne change rien au processus pour l'instant. - 2009/06/11 - 15:51
- H1N1 (Human Swine Influenza) Update, June 11
- NOTE: A social media version of this release, including photographs, audio and video clips, will be available later today at www.gov.ns.ca/news/smr/20090611002HEALTH-HPP.asp . Nova Scotia's public health system continues to track and respond to H1N1 (human swine influenza). At this time, that work will not be affected by the World Health Organization's decision today, June 11, to raise the pandemic alert to level 6. - 2009/06/11 - 15:46
- Mise à jour sur le virus H1N1 (grippe porcine chez l'être humain), le 9 juin
- Des cas du virus H1N1 (grippe porcine chez l'être humain) continuent d'être signalés en Nouvelle-Écosse. Le premier cas d'hospitalisation dans la province a été confirmé aujourd'hui 9 juin. Le cas a été signalé dans la régie régionale de la santé Capital, et la condition du patient s'améliore. - 2009/06/09 - 16:14