Working to improve health-care capacity

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/01/2023 (721 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the holiday season comes to an end and families return to work and school, I am glad to have the opportunity to share one of the many investments our government has made in the last few months and what they mean for the Southdale community.

Last month, I was pleased to stand with the premier to announce the single largest health-care investment in Manitoba’s history. This plan includes $200 million to help retain, train, and recruit 2,000 health-care professionals (physicians, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals), in order to help stop the practise of mandating overtime for staff.

This investment will provide weekend premiums, license reimbursement, and many other incentives to bring more healthcare professions to the public system and to retain our more than 50,000 current health staff.

Included in the Health Human Resource Action Plan is Virtual Emergency Care and Transfer Resource Service (VECTRS). This service will help connect rural health professionals to emergency services and specialist consultations and is a result of having conversations with front-line physicians at the rural doctors summit.

Over the last year, we have seen a global shortage of human resources in health care and retention, recruitment, and training is being stressed now more than ever. Our government wants to increase our capacity as a province and ensure Manitobans get the care they need.

We are taking important steps to address the human resource shortages. We are already starting to see positive outcomes at Grace Hospital, with less mandating occurring and more staff filling shifts.

I have been meeting with front-line doctors and nurses, which included a very recent trip to the St. Boniface emergency department. Finding solutions together is the only way we can build a sustainable health-care system. I look forward to continuing discussions with doctors and nurses, as well as talking with paramedics and other allied health professionals in the new year.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all our healthcare staff who worked over the holiday season and who continue to provide excellent care around the province. I wish everyone in Southdale and Manitobans a healthy and prosperous new year.