REGINA — The provincial government says the Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources Action Plan continues is showing results in key areas to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more health care workers.
Incentives to attract new specialists are a key strategy in what Health Minister Everett Hindley describes as an “ambitious HHR Action Plan.”
A perfusionist, originally from Calgary, has now started working in Interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Support Services at Regina General Hospital. Perfusionists work with cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists and other members of the operating room team and are in high demand.
A new retention incentive is now offered to pediatric gastroenterology and pediatric immunology and allergy specialists. This incentive became effective April 1, and it totals $200,000 over five years for a return-of-service in Saskatoon.
This is in addition to several new incentives recently introduced to support recruitment and retention of specialists in high demand. Incentive packages of $200,000 over five years are offered for anesthesia, psychiatry, and breast and interventional radiology.
The spring 2024-25 callout is now open for the Ministry of Health's Final Clinical Placement Bursary assisting students preparing for a career in health care. The bursary is offered to students who will begin their final clinical placements between April 1 and Sept. 30. Strong interest is anticipated for this incentive again this year based on the record number of bursaries approved in 2023-24.
Additional HHR Progress Updates
- 252 internationally educated health professionals from the Philippines have arrived in Saskatchewan and 179 of these, the majority nurses, are now working in communities across the province.
- 1156 nursing graduates from Saskatchewan and out-of-province have been hired since December 2022, which includes 59 since April 1.
- 238 of 250 targeted new and enhanced full-time positions in high-priority occupations to stabilize staffing in rural and northern areas have now been filled.
- 303 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled as a result of the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive of up to $50,000 over three years.
- The Rural Physician Incentive of up to $200,000 over five years offered to physicians who practice in rural and northern communities has received 269 potentially eligible applications, and 138 have been approved for payment.
Details on health care opportunities, how to access them and more information on the province's HHR Action Plan are available at saskatchewan.ca/HHR.
