OTTAWA – The College of Family Physicians of Canada has released a report that gives the Conservative government low marks on its commitment to health care. Here are the problem areas, along with the college’s comments:

National immunization strategy: Coverage and schedules for routine immunizations “are not standard across the provinces and territories.”

National home-care: “Access to home care, the range of services available and costs of these services vary greatly depending on where we live.”

National poverty plan: “Currently, no national poverty program exists.”

Child and youth strategy: “Canada’s investment in early childhood development is one of the lowest among the OECD countries.”

National health strategy: “The lack of a plan results in a fragmented system with a lack of standards or unified vision.”

National health goals: Health goals for Canada established in 2005 “have neither evolved into a national strategy nor have resulted in measurable actions.”

Primary care supports: No support from the federal government “despite the fact that primary care is the backbone of the health-care system.”

Support for what is called a patient’s “medical home,” a concept which envisions a team-based approach to give a patient a “home” to go to for lifelong care: “The federal government has not dedicated funding or provided guidance for practices.”

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Source: The College of Family Physicians of Canada