Released on December 18, 2014
A new quality oversight committee and a care consultant will focus on ensuring residents at Santa Maria Senior Citizen’s Home in Regina are provided with safe, high quality health care.
“Our government is committed to making improvements that place the needs of our long-term care residents first,” Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. “This new level of oversight at Santa Maria supports that priority.”
Duncan met with representatives from the Catholic Health Ministry of Saskatchewan (which owns Santa Maria), Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) and the Santa Maria Board this week regarding concerns about Santa Maria.
Immediate actions include the creation of a quality oversight committee including Ministry of Health senior officials, RQHR senior officials, Catholic Health Ministry of Saskatchewan executive, and members of the Santa Maria executive and board. The oversight team will examine care processes and key quality indicators at Santa Maria, and will direct the development of corrective action plans and additional quality indicators where appropriate. The team will also have the ability to review other aspects of Santa Maria administration and operations, if there is an impact to care.
In addition, the Catholic Health Ministry of Saskatchewan and Santa Maria Board of Directors have appointed Diane Larrivee as a care consultant for the facility. She will lead specific care and concern reviews, recommending improvements to care procedures. Larrivee is a former Nurse, Nurse Manager and Vice President of Specialty Programs for RQHR (she retired from RQHR in 2012).
“Ms. Larrivee’s appointment is one of a series of steps we’re taking to address concerns about the care provided at Santa Maria,” Catholic Health Ministry of Saskatchewan President and CEO Scott Irwin said. “We are working closely with the Regina Police, Saskatchewan Ombudsman and the Ministry of Health because our priority is the safety, care and dignity of every resident in our care.”
“We're pleased to be participating on this committee, and will work with Santa Maria to address any care concerns that may exist to ensure quality of care and resident safety,” Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region President and CEO Keith Dewar said.
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For more information, contact:
Lisa Thomson
Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region
Regina
Phone: 306-766-5332
Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Scott Irwin
Catholic Health Ministry of Saskatchewan
Phone: 306-249-5865