REGINA QU'APPELLE HEALTH REGION AWARDED RETENTION GRANTS

Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region's health employees can look forward to improved workplaces, better work-life balance and more professional development opportunities, thanks to projects funded by workforce retention grants offered by the provincial government.

The Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region has been awarded funding for seven retention projects. One project provides in-house training for employees at the Grenfell Pioneer Home focusing on interpersonal communication skills and team building. Providing the in-house training in Grenfell creates greater accessibility for employees and reduced travel costs.

Another project provides exercise equipment to Montmartre Health Centre employees in order to retain healthy and satisfied workers. Regular exercise improves both mental and physical health. Funding for all seven projects is $333,300.

Health Minister Don McMorris announced today approximately $1.9 million in funding for 37 innovative projects - recommended by health professionals - that will benefit a wide range of workers through out the province. This funding is part of the Health Workforce Employee Retention Program, which supports creative, grassroots initiatives designed to help keep health employees working in Saskatchewan's health care system.

"Keeping and attracting key health providers is a top priority of this government," Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Health for Nurse Recruitment and Retention Laura Ross said. "Health care providers in rural Saskatchewan face additional pressures in a smaller community. The best retention innovations often come from health providers themselves - they know what will work best in their workplaces - and this program makes use of that valuable knowledge."

"Retaining workers in our rural communities is key to ensuring we can continue to provide health care services to rural residents," Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region Interim Vice President Restorative and Continuing Care Val Hunko saod. "We welcome the government's support for our projects in Grenfell and Montmarte and the ongoing commitment to recruitment and retention initiatives region-wide."

Projects were initiated by health employees and other providers, employers and provincial health sector organizations. Details on the workforce retention program are posted on the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health website at www.health.gov.sk.ca. This completes the $25 million funding for the retention and recruitment plan previously announced.

The government has identified retention and recruitment of health care workers as a priority. The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and McMorris signed a partnership in 2008 committing to work together to solve Saskatchewan's shortage of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses. Under the SUN/Government Partnership Agreement, any retention initiatives specific to nursing can be forwarded to the Joint SUN/Health Region Recruitment and Retention Committee for consideration. The government has committed $60 million to support this work.

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For more information, contact:

Karen Hill
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083

Mark Torjusen
Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region
Regina
Phone: 306-766-5332