Saskatchewan plan to ease health care staffing woes includes hiring mission to PH 

Saskatchewan, Canada Health Minister Paul Merriman. SCREENGRAB CTV

Saskatchewan, Canada’s provincial government has unveiled a plan to add more than 1,000 employees to its health-care system, and it includes a recruitment mission to the Philippines in the fall.

Health Minister Paul Merriman announced the Health Human Resources Action Plan at a press briefing, explaining that the province’s investment will total more than $60 million over the next several years.

The plan features the hiring of hundreds of health professionals over two years from abroad, with a Memorandum of Understanding being worked out with the Philippine government.

Merriman said health workers recruited to Saskatchewan will be provided with appropriate support to help them settle, including licensing assistance and job placements.

Already, 150 nursing seats have been added in Saskatchewan’s registered nursing, registered psychiatric nursing, and nurse practitioner education programs, according to a CBC News report.

The plan, however, was criticized by the National Democratic Party in a press statement for allegedly failing to address the causes of the province’s health system staffing shortage.

“Health-care workers are leaving for other provinces like British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario despite the higher cost of living. When it comes to retention, this plan is vague on details and fails to provide concrete strategies to keep health-care workers in Saskatchewan. Retention should have been priority number one,” the statement said.