Manitoba touts health hires, unable to say how many departures, vacancies

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This article was published 04/05/2023 (903 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The provincial government has announced that 900 health workers have been hired since November 2022, as part of Health Minister Audrey Gordon’s promise to hire 2,000 additional staff.

However, the government was unable to say how many workers have left since that time, and how many vacancies remain.

In a statement attributed to Gordon Thursday, the province said it had recently hired 82 allied-health providers, 32 physician and clinical assistants, 438 health-care aides, 259 nurses and 73 physicians.

It could not provide vacancy data to show how many positions in each of those fields remain unfilled.

“As the province does not have a centralized HR data gathering mechanism, it currently gathers vacancy data from each service delivery organization. Detailed vacancy data per provider group is not readily available. Dedicated efforts are underway to ensure a consolidated, standardized process for HHR data,” a provincial government spokesperson stated Thursday.

The government announcement also focused on provincial incentives that have been introduced to retain health workers. The 12 incentives include pay premiums for working weekends and extended hours, reimbursement of licencing fees, and “wellness bonuses.”

Opposition politicians and a union that represents health workers were critical of the announcement.

Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Professionals, said he’s concerned the allied health sector hasn’t received the same level of retention incentives compared with those offered to nurses and physicians.

He questioned the lack of disclosure about vacancies.

“While the government has released hiring data, there is a notable lack of information and context surrounding the hires, and we think what the minister didn’t say is more telling. Most importantly, the government is not saying how many allied health professionals have left the system since November 2022. Ultimately, what matters is not simply the number of new hires, but the number of health care professionals currently serving on the front line,” Linklater stated.

The NDP caucus issued a statement saying the public “can’t believe” the Progressive Conservatives on health care.

“They’ve proven time and again they will say anything to distract from years of Brian Pallister and Heather Stefanson’s health care cuts. Government press releases don’t change the fact Grace (hospital) doctors have called out for help in their operating rooms or that (nurses) have been forced to turn sexual assault victims away because of understaffing. Manitobans know the PC record on health care.”

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca