As Saskatchewan continues to prioritize healthcare improvements, Estevan MLA Lori Carr highlighted significant advancements in the Health Human Resources Action Plan (HHRAP) and other key projects aimed at enhancing patient care and reducing wait times across the province.
Launched in September 2022, the initiative is now two years old and has seen success in recruiting internationally educated healthcare workers, primarily from the Philippines and Ukraine.
"So far we have 373 internationally educated professionals from the Philippines who have arrived in Saskatchewan, with 290 of them working in our communities across the province. The remainder are just doing their bridging to ensure their accreditations are equivalent to Saskatchewan’s before they move into the healthcare sector," Carr said.
“I don't believe there is one person here today who's not affected by healthcare, whether it's you personally, a family member, or even possibly a friend,” Carr said at the latest Coffee Talk.
With the HHRAP, the time required for workers to bridge into the workforce has decreased from 12 years to just 12 weeks. Carr noted that each case is individual.
“So as part of the training side, we have expanded training seats locally and streamlined accelerated training, assessment, and licensing pathways for internationally educated nurses.”
Since 2022, 1,279 nursing graduates from Saskatchewan and other provinces have been hired.
Carr emphasized the importance of nurse practitioners in Saskatchewan’s healthcare system. “Since June 2024, seven full-time practitioners have been hired across the province. There's currently one position available in Estevan, and we’re still waiting for that position to be filled,” she said.
Carr also noted a decrease in surgical wait times. "This is the first time since 2020 that surgical waitlists have fallen below the 2007 and 2010 benchmarks in all long-waiting categories. Despite this decrease, more work needs to be done."
The upcoming MRI in Estevan is expected to make healthcare more accessible, saving time and money on travel.
“I would like to acknowledge the generous donation from Elaine Walkcom of $2 million that kicked off the campaign,” Carr said, highlighting that the campaign has now reached $4 million of its $6.5 million goal.
"Emmanuel Health and Saint Joseph's Hospital, as well as the foundation, have been great partners in this all the way along," Carr added. Emanuel Health is leading a renovation project at the existing hospital to improve services for patients and staff while maintaining high equipment standards.
"Once the services have been set up, the government of Saskatchewan will take over the ongoing operating costs of this unit."