Toronto Public Health has produced an excellent report that will be considered at the Board of Health on July 10. Its analysis should be endorsed and its recommendations adopted. Policy development is always about competing priorities, assessing evidence and impact, and weighing costs and benefits. Here is the equation on this issue: There is an […]
Strategy, Ideas and Tools for the Midwifery Movement
Midwifery has played a transformative role within the healthcare system: not just in providing excellent care to many women, but in empowering women to be able to better control their overall reproductive and sexual lives. As well as being a innovative profession and crucial part of the spectrum of women-centred services, it has also always […]
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Social Determinants of Health into Policy Action
The social determinants of health have been notoriously difficult to implement into concrete policy and programmes. Still, groups across the country are analysing and experimenting with how social determinants and health equity can be addressed on the ground through front-line service delivery and through community development. One such group is the Edmonton Social Planning Council. […]
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Social Determinants of Health In Action
While the fundamental social determinants of health will only be fully addressed with major shifts in government policy and action, there are many innovative and effective ways in which their impact on health disparities can be addressed more immediately. One direction is the work that community health centres do in delivering community-based primary care and […]
Social Determinants of Health Applied to Social Policy
A recent report commissioned by the Alberta Coalition for Healthy School Communities provides an interesting example of a social determinants of health approach being applied in different fields of social policy. The report analyzed the link between social and economic inequality, associated health disparities and unequal education outcomes. It argued that addressing these connections had […]
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Social assistance reform is happening: Here’s three things to look out for
Incoming premier Kathleen Wynne announced this week that social assistance reform is one of her key priorities. Wynne has asked the Secretary of the Cabinet – Ontario’s top civil servant – to put together an implementation plan for the recommendations made by the social assistance review commission. Moreover, Wynne appointed Commissioner Frances Lankin to her […]
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Should social assistance help you to scrape by, or to get a good job?
Social assistance is about more than just providing enough money for people to survive. Social assistance should also work to ensure wider opportunities for people to find employment or pursue further training or education. Investing in individuals – from early childhood through high school, to college or university, and work training and experience – creates […]
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Should social assistance ensure access to health care services, or keep people from getting sick? Both, actually.
The social assistance system causes poor health. The low levels of income supports combined with inadequate supplementary supports like affordable child care and transportation mean that people on social assistance do not have a fair chance at good health. I’ve blogged about this, and have set out some solutions such as building a basket of […]
Second Stage of Medicare messaging can be effectively used
when discussion is focused on problems in the current system and privatization is offered as an option to solve those problems; as an overarching frame when presenting organizational, technical (and not very exciting!) public sector solutions to health care problem; to demonstrate unity of purpose like-minded organizations dedicated to our universal, not-for profit health care […]
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Second Stage of Medicare
One of the most important challenges facing the progressive health community is how to try to frame the debate in ways that will win public support and shift the way health reform is understood. Public opinion data clearly shows solid support for the values of universal access and Medicare, but there are also widespread worries […]