Provincial Physician Recruitment Agency Moving to Saskatchewan Health Authority

Released on July 18, 2018

Saskatchewan is taking steps to ensure that access to physician services continues to be a high priority, particularly in rural and remote communities.

This transition will build on saskdocs’ good work, helping align recruitment efforts with the SHA’s physician resource planning and ensure that physicians are practising in communities where they are most needed.

To facilitate continuity and ongoing connections with key partners, a number of current board members will have the opportunity to continue serving in an advisory capacity following the transfer - a further example of the province’s commitment to recruitment and retention efforts.

“People in rural, northern, and urban communities throughout the province continue to have better access to physician care,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said.  “The efforts of saskdocs, along with other recruitment and retention initiatives introduced by our government, have resulted in 900 more licensed doctors and 3,700 more nurses in Saskatchewan than in 2007.”

There will also be a continued focus on retention and recruitment of other valued health professionals.  The transfer will include Health Careers in Saskatchewan, which focuses on recruitment of other health professionals and is also operated by the agency.  Future doctors and health professionals will continue to see the saskdocs and Health Careers in Saskatchewan names, as they find employment in the province.

The strength of saskdocs has been its member organizations, including:

• Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association;
• Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities;
• College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan;
• Saskatchewan Health Authority;
• Saskatchewan Medical Association;
• medical residents and students;
• Ministry of Immigration and Career Training; and
• Ministry of Health.