The second part of a multi-layered outreach program they have named the Sun Country Leadership Network, brought some of the health region's administrative team members as well as board members to the main auditorium in St. Joseph's Hospital on the evening of April 4.
"We report to you, and we need to hear from you," said board member Derrill Rodine in addressing about 30 people who had gathered to hear some updated reports on such things as the health region's strategic plan as well as focused reports on mental health and addiction services delivered by Duane Schultz and Garry Tedford with an introduction by Janice Giroux, vice-president of community health. Giroux led off by discussing caseloads in Sun Country, noting that there are currently 130 autistic children receiving assistance within the region and there was one group home for patients on a transition path following treatment for mental illness. She said the transition home can be used by clients for up to three years, depending on their needs, before moving on to a group home or regular home life with assistance.
The trio agreed that often mental illness and addictions run hand-in-hand.
Giroux and Schultz discussed such things as identifying those at risk for suicide and those suffering from anxiety or depression.
Tedford discussed the cycle of abuse with regards to addiction, whether it be alcohol, drugs or gambling, noting that often alcohol and drugs are used in tandem. He also said there is still a perceived social stigma around addictions.
"Somehow there is the thought out there that the person with the addiction is weak or unstable," said Tedford.
"An addictive agent provides temporary relief, but ultimately leads to negative consequences when the user sees the drugs, alcohol or gambling as a solution," he said.
The most common drug used is still alcohol, he said, but there is more mixing of drugs and alcohol which can amplify into lethal levels of intoxication.
During a question period with local and regional elected officials, Tedford explained some of the steps taken for the treatment of alcohol and drug abuse, including the recovery program, relapses and how they deal with them.
Marga Cugnet, CEO of the health region, outlined the 17 strategic items the health region dealt with in 2011-2012 and the nine-point plan that rolled out in 2012-13 which includes another level of hygiene care, fall preventions, workplace efficiencies, administration of medications, handling stroke victims, improved care for dementia patients, and physician recruitment and retention. She also addressed wait times for surgery in Sun Country, noting that 73 per cent of patients see a primary health provider within a week and the surgical wait list is now less than six months with only a few exceptions.
Cugnet also talked about discharge planning, including improved communications between the Regina-Qu'Appelle Health Region and Sun Country regarding patients being released from Regina hospitals back to Sun Country facilities.
Questions from the attendees at the session included emergency medical training sessions for volunteer first responders and the time needed to gain certification, physician recruitment and how they are going about it and reducing travel time for everyone concerned by using the services of the audio/visual Telehealth system more frequently.
Sun Country's board chairwoman Marilyn Charlton said they plan the community leadership sessions twice a year. Last year the sessions included only elected public officials and their hired administrators whereas this year the sessions were open to the public and media.
