Yukon government agrees with Blackjack inquiry findings

The Yukon Government says it's acting on the coroner's recommendations in the Blackjack inquiry, including holding a review of policies around the transfer of patients from community health centres to Whitehorse.

Thirty-one-year-old Cynthia Blackjack died last November of organ failure on a medevac flight to Whitehorse.

"We've agreed with the eight recommendations," says Health Minister Doug Graham. "We believe that our systems are pretty good right now, but they need some improvement so we've agreed with the recommendations and we'll be following through and dealing with them as quickly as we can."

Graham says the government wants to make sure health centres have functional equipment.

He also says there are checklists for emergency equipment and staff will be reminded to follow the procedures, "especially equipment that isn't used very often."

Graham says some of the work has already started.

Enhanced blood testing unlikely

The coroner in the Blackjack case also recommended enhanced blood testing in rural clinics.

Graham says that's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

"Part of that is because it would require us to buy new equipment, perhaps do training," he says.

"It's also a question of cost benefit. In how many cases would it actually prove to be of benefit to the community nursing staff? In the community health centres now we believe that we have adequate equipment to do the things that they need to do."