HEALTH BUDGET ADDRESSES PRIORITIES

The Government of Saskatchewan has introduced a $3.745 billion health budget to improve health care and ensure all Saskatchewan people benefit from the province's economic growth. The budget includes significant investments in the recruitment and retention of health care professionals, infrastructure, drug coverage and cancer care. It also addresses the health care infrastructure deficit through a $191 million investment in capital under the Ready for Growth initiative.

This is an increase of over $300 million or nearly 9 per cent from last year, and represents a health care expenditure of $3,732 for every Saskatchewan resident.

"For years, the people of Saskatchewan have worried about the future of health care in this province. It was part of the infrastructure deficit we inherited from the previous government," Health Minister Don McMorris said. "Today, I can tell them that help is on the way. The investments in this budget will help fulfil our promise to improve the province's health care system."

More than a third of the extra dollars in this year's Health budget will pay for increases in salaries, wages and benefits for the province's health care providers. In addition to the compensation increase, the government will boost spending on nursing recruitment and retention programs by $20.7 million bringing total annual expenditures in this area to $26 million. This investment is in addition to the $60 million in one-time funding the government recently allocated to its recruitment and retention partnership with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses.

The government is committed to increasing the province's capacity to train physicians. The budget includes $3.2 million from Advanced Education, Employment and Labour and $1.8 million from Health to train 100 more medical students and increase physician residency seats to 120 by 2010-11. Health is also allocating $1.1 million for physician recruitment and retention, including four additional medical seats for internationally-trained graduates and adding two physicians plus a second Medical Health Officer in the north.

The Ready for Growth initiative includes $191 million to fix existing hospitals and health facilities, to continue building the new provincial laboratory, to purchase medical equipment, and to begin building much needed health infrastructure.

"Our health infrastructure has been allowed to languish and fall into disrepair," McMorris said. "It's time we took action with the biggest capital renewal expenditure in Saskatchewan's history to help the province be well-positioned for future health needs."

The increased money for capital expenditures will help advance plans for an expansion of the Moose Jaw Union Hospital and the planning of construction of a Maternal Child Hospital at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.

The budget provides $6.1 million to pay for new drugs covered under the provincial formulary, addressing the promise to expand drug coverage. In addition, there is a $10.7 million increase to Cancer Agency funding. This increase includes almost $4 million for coverage of the colorectal cancer drug Avastin, and expands the Cancer Agency's drug benefit list to include Sunitinib to treat advanced kidney cancer.

To protect women from cervical cancer, the budget includes $2.9 million for human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines. As well, the government will introduce a new, fiscally responsible Seniors' Drug Plan and a Children's Drug Plan. Effective July 1, children 14 and under and seniors who earn less than approximately $64,000 per year will pay no more than $15 per prescription for medications listed under the provincial formulary.

Other health care allocations include $5.1 million to open 88 new beds, and $1.75 million to begin work on a patient first review of the province's health care system and patient exit surveys, and $1 million for long-term planning for capital, human resources and seniors' care.

Saskatchewan regional health authorities will see their budgets increase by 5.7 per cent to $2.29 billion.

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For more information, contact:

Andrew Dinsmore
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083