KEEWATIN YATTHÉ HEALTH REGION IMPROVES PATIENT CARE AND STAFF SAFETY

Keewatin Yatthé Health Region has received $104,000 in federal funding to improve patient care and make its health facilities safer for staff. The funding is part of the $66 million given to Saskatchewan as a result of the 2004 First Ministers' Meeting.

Saskatchewan Health has approved the Regional Health Authority's plan to address safety and patient care priorities in its health facilities. The amount of funding the region received is based on the percentage of long-term, acute care and mental health beds in the health region.

"This funding will help patients, by providing equipment that contributes directly to their care and comfort," Health Minister John Nilson said. "It will also benefit caregivers, by helping health regions address staff needs so that we can improve safety and reduce injuries in our health facilities. We are committed to doing everything we can to retain our valuable health care providers and give our patients the best possible care environment."

The health region's planned investments include patient lifts and assisting devices, beds and stretchers, electronic blood pressure monitors, IV pumps, a fetal monitor and therapy equipment.

"We are very pleased to receive the funds to purchase patient care equipment and improve safety in workplace environments, ultimately improving the quality of health care, which is our top priority," Keewatin Yatthé CEO Carol Gillis said.

"These expenditures will make it easier for us to attract health professionals to northern and remote communities, and it will improve the quality of care we can offer our patients," Northern Affairs Minister and Athabasca MLA Buckley Belanger said.

Additional federal funding has been set aside for health regions for other priority areas, including purchasing equipment for surgical suites, reducing surgical and diagnostic wait times, and health provider recruitment and retention.

The federal funding available this fiscal year amounts to about three per cent of Saskatchewan's $2.7 billion annual health budget. Of the $66 million dollars provided, Keewatin Yatthe Health Region will directly receive approximately $740,000.

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For More Information, Contact:

Richard Petit Communications, Keewatin Yatthe Health Region Buffalo Narrows Phone: (306) 235-2220