Saskatchewan's Minister for Health has seen some success in recent meetings.
Everett Hindley, Saskatchewan Minister for Health, recently met with members from SUMA and those from SARM. In these meetings, he listened to concerns regarding rural healthcare, as well as taking in feedback on pilot programs from the year.
Hindley was recently moved up into the position but already has been seeing some success in the new role.
"It's important for us, as ministers to be out communicating with our municipal leaders," said Hindley. "Just to make sure that we're touching base on issues, priorities when it comes to healthcare, and to make sure that we're also advancing some of the positive things that are happening out there."
Talks with both SUMA and SARM revealed areas where both are looking for more personnel and are interested in approaching additional solutions to healthcare wants and needs.
"We continue to work toward adding more treatment space capacity here in Saskatchewan," said Hindley. "Building towards a treatment and recovery model, and making sure that people have access to treatment. Trying to fill some of the gaps when it comes to hiring of more physicians, more nurses, more paramedics, and more care aides."
Hindley was able to make note of the areas where programs have had success this year in filling in 190 full-time position jobs in Saskatchewan Healthcare.
"We're starting to see some of the benefits of the recruitment mission to the Philippines last November," said Hindley. "Some of those folks are now starting to come to Saskatchewan to get licensed here, to be able to work in our healthcare facilities."
Over the last year, 250 full-time jobs have been created in Saskatchewan Healthcare. Part of the work going into filling those and other positions in the future has been the implementation of 550 more training seats in medical post-secondary education.
"A significant number of those have been filled," said Hindley. "There's significant demand from students to work in healthcare, and they're applying for those roles. That's important because it shows that there are people interested in working in healthcare, and being part of a fantastic healthcare team."
Hindley expects the rest of this year to proceed with few new developments, instead working with others to ensure existing projects continue smoothly and wrap up successfully.
"I think we'll continue to see that in the weeks and months ahead, as they fill some of those vacancies," concluded Hindley.