Released on March 27, 2009
Kelsey Trail Health Region's health employees can look forward to improved workplaces and more professional development opportunities, thanks to four projects funded by health workforce retention grants offered by the provincial government.
The Kelsey Trail Health Region projects involve a course on effective conversational communications training for management and front-line staff, professional development opportunities for KTHR pharmacists, professional development opportunities for KTHR therapy staff and Train-the-Trainer kindness workshops for staff. Project funding for all four projects is $181,720.
Health Minister Don McMorris is announcing today approximately $1.9 million in funding for 37 innovative projects - recommended by health professionals - that will benefit a wide range of workers throughout the province. This funding is part of the Health Workforce Employee Retention Program, which supports creative, grassroots initiatives designed to help keep health employees working in Saskatchewan's health care system.
"The best retention innovations often come from health providers themselves - they know what will work best in their workplaces - and this program makes use of that knowledge," Carrot River Valley MLA Fred Bradshaw said.
"We appreciate the Ministry's funding for this very worthwhile educational offering for our staff and rural pharmacists," Kelsey Trail Health Region CEO Glen Kozak said. "Client care will ultimately be enhanced and this will allow our health professionals to exchange best practices, improve communications and facilitate team building."
Projects were initiated by health employees and other providers, employers and provincial health sector organizations. Details on the workforce retention program are posted on the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health website at www.health.gov.sk.ca. This completes the $25 million funding for the retention and recruitment plan previously announced.
The government has identified retention and recruitment of health care workers as a priority. The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and the government of Saskatchewan signed a partnership agreement in 2008 committing to work together to solve Saskatchewan's shortage of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses. Under the SUN/Government Partnership Agreement, any retention initiatives specific to nursing can be forwarded to the Joint SUN/Health Region Recruitment and Retention Committee for consideration. The government has committed $60 million to support this work.
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For more information, contact:
Karen Hill
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Vivian Campbell
Kelsey Trail Health Region
Melfort
Phone: 306-752-7562