Preliminary ruling proceedings — recommendations to national courts

EUROPA - EU law and publications - EUR-Lex - EUR-Lex - 32012H1106(10) - EN - Recommendations to national courts and tribunals in relation to the initiation of preliminary ruling proceedings // RECOMMENDATIONS

Would you be surprised to know that Ms. Tremblay, when she appeared before the committee, gave the impression that there were absolutely no rules, no processes, no expectations with respect to that level of documentation, something the committee found quite shocking?

What is key to also highlight, is that governments are working to reduce wait times, reflecting their different starting points and priorities, by transforming the way access is managed involving improvements in the way wait times are monitored, measured and managed such as: developing improved information systems enabling policy decisions based on reliable wait times data; ongoing research to develop more benchmarks; funding additional procedures; adding new spaces in medical schools; posting wait times on web sites; developing standard prioritization systems; and, communicating information to Canadians.

I would recommend three correctional measures: the standardization of methods for measuring and reporting waiting times, the development of consistent procedures to classify patients on waiting lists, and the creation of alternatives to waiting lists through the redirection of patients to individual clinicians and institutions elsewhere.

There are targets for the maximum - and that is how it is established - such as the maximum time to wait for an inpatient elective procedure, the maximum time to wait for an outpatient specialist consultation, and yes, there is discrimination depending on the procedure involved.