Steve Lambert

The group that represents physicians across Manitoba is stepping up its campaign to restrict the use of sick notes.

Doctors Manitoba says physicians field requests for more than 600,000 sick notes every year from employees who take time off work, and that takes time away from treating patients.

The group is asking the Manitoba government to follow most other provinces and set limits on how employers can demand sick notes.

The Manitoba government promised to control health-care costs Wednesday as it released audits of several health bodies and saw the departure of two chief executive officers.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority parted ways with CEO Mike Nader, while Shared Health, the province's central health planning agency, said Lanette Saragusa was out as its CEO.

Minutes later, the NDP government released three audits that said some of the health agencies should be doing more to control spending after years of deficits.

The Manitoba government has yet to implement key recommendations on sleep-related infant deaths, social worker caseloads and other issues, even though some of the proposals date back years, the office of the provincial children and youth advocate said Tuesday.

The government has made progress overall, Sherry Gott said in her annual report on how the province follows up on past recommendations. Some action has been taken on 88 per cent of recommendations from various reports since 2018, and 18 per cent have been fully implemented — roughly double the percentages a year ago.

Manitoba's Opposition New Democrats are gathering this weekend in Winnipeg with the party riding high in opinion polls and an election one year away.

Leader Wab Kinew is to outline some of his ideas Saturday and Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley is the guest speaker at a fundraising dinner.

But most of the weekend will deal with policies to be debated by delegates.

Among the proposals is a ban on private long-term care homes and a ban on replacement workers during labour disputes.