SUN COUNTRY HEALTH REGION RECEIVES FUNDING FOR CREATING A HEALTHY WORKPLACE

Sun Country Health Region has received $155,720 to spend on a project devoted to developing a high-quality, healthy work environment.

Saskatchewan Health is providing Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) $1.79 million in funding to spend on quality health workplace initiatives. This funding is designated for nine new projects in seven health regions, through a competitive process, with priority given to partnerships between one or more health regions and/or other health organizations. Projects focus on areas such as employee morale, job satisfaction, turnover rates, absenteeism and injury rates.

Sun Country Health Region identified its priority for creating healthy workplaces. Its funding goes toward a number of workplace improvements, including pilot sites to implement new initiatives in areas such as elder care, childcare and fitness classes.

"This funding will help us continue to create quality workplaces, a key component of our retention and recruitment efforts, as outlined in our Action Plan for Saskatchewan Health Care," Health Minister John Nilson said.

"We have an excellent group of employees," Sun Country Regional Health Authority CEO Lee Spencer said. "And we are looking forward to working with them to improve the quality of worklife even more."

Saskatchewan Health has distributed the funding from the $66 million pledged to the province at the 2004 First Ministers' Meeting, along with additional provincial funding.

Improving the work environment of health care professionals is one of a variety of initiatives aimed at retaining and recruiting key health professionals to Saskatchewan.

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For More Information, Contact:

Lee Spencer Sun Country Health Region Weyburn Phone: (306) 842-8718