P.E.I. plans new health agency

The provincial government intends to create a new agency that will take charge of front-line operations of the health system.

The new agency — Health PEI — was announced Thursday in the speech from the throne, read by Lt.-Gov. Barbara Hagerman. The speech also confirmed that the government intends to ban using handheld cellphones while driving, and also will outlaw most cosmetic use of lawn care chemicals.

Health PEI will be responsible for "operational and service delivery elements" of the health-care system, including pharmacy and dental programs. How the roles of the Health Department and Health PEI will be delineated is not made clear in the throne speech, but it promises those details are coming.

"The legislation will establish clear roles, responsibility and accountability for both the department and the new entity," Hagerman read.

Health PEI is described as a further step in modernizing governance of the health-care system.

Also on the health-care front, the province intends to test a new team-based approach to medicine. This approach is meant to allow members of each team to focus their skills on the work they do best.

The team medicine pilot project will be showcased at Unit 3 of Charlottetown's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the surgery unit of Summerside's Prince County Hospital, the acute care unit of Montague's Kings County Memorial Hospital, Summerside's Wedgewood Manor, and Summerside Home Care.

Cellphone law en route

After months of argument within the government, the throne speech confirmed the Liberals intend to ban the use of hand-held communication devices while driving.

Another long-awaited piece of legislation — a ban on cosmetic pesticides for lawns — was also announced. The government intends to remove 240 pesticides from store shelves.

Environment Minister Richard Brown has said that golf courses will still be allowed to use cosmetic pesticides, as will licensed lawn care companies in what are described as emergency situations.