After months of speculation on potential changes to the current system of health regions, it appears the provincial government is now moving forward with consulting the public.
Residents and organizations have been invited to give their feedback to a three-person advisory panel that is tasked with examining the restructuring of the health care system in the province.
The panel members are Tyler Bragg of Swift Current, president and CEO of Pinnacle Financial Services and former chair of the Cypress Regional Health Authority; Dr. Dennis A. Kendel of Saskatoon, CEO of the Physician Recruitment Agency of Saskatchewan; and Brenda Abrametz of Prince Albert, chair of the Prince Albert Parkland Regional Health Authority.
They were appointed Aug. 18 and their mandate is to review the current regional health authority structure, and provide advice on a system of fewer RHAs in Saskatchewan.
“Our panel wants to support a robust and open dialogue with key partners and stakeholders throughout this process,” Dr. Kendel said in a statement. “The panel wants to ensure the patient is at the centre of a redefined system, which will be structured and governed to best support and improve patient care.”
Right now the Battlefords fall under the Prairie North Regional Health Authority, which includes a wide area in the Northwest region of the province. Several communities, including Lloydminster and Meadow Lake, are within its jurisdiction.
Overall, there are 13 health regions in place across Saskatchewan.
In addition to reviewing the health region structure, the panel will also look at “services that could be delivered more efficiently and effectively on a provincial scale, examine RHA board governance and accountability and identify ways to enhance measurement of health system performance,” according to the province’s news release.
Online submissions are now being accepted from all those interested. That form can be found at www.saskatchewan.ca. The submission deadline is Sept. 26. The findings of the panel are expected to be provided to the province in the coming months.
For more information about the review and to access the online submission, visit the Government of Saskatchewan website at www.saskatchewan.ca and search for “Health Advisory Panel.”
