Making headway amid health-care challenges

Rossmere

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/07/2023 (830 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As Canada grapples with nationwide health-care challenges and every premier in the country asks Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to increase funding, Manitoba is getting results with several initiatives, including a $200-million health HR action plan to train, recruit and retain healthcare workers.

A recent recruitment mission to the Philippines resulted in 350 letters of intent to bring already trained health-care professionals to Manitoba. At least 190 registered nurses, 50 licensed practical nurse equivalents and 110 health-care aides are in the process of coming here with their families. They will receive assistance with travel and immigration costs, as well as accommodation and professional licensing fees.

Another $19.5 million added 259 nurse training seats at five Manitoba post-secondary institutions as part of a larger plan to add 400 new nursing education Seats.

Red River College continues to offer micro-credential courses to train people quickly and free up nurses’ time without bogging them down with tasks others with training can perform.

Manitoba is also supporting hundreds of internationally educated nurse applicants get licensed to work here, with up to $23,000 of financial aid for each applicant.

An undergraduate nurse employees program helps third- and fourth-year nursing students gain valuable paid experience in a clinical “earn-and-learn” setting by joining care teams to support the delivery of health services. Last year 63 students accessed this program.

Other current initiatives for nurses already here include: reimbursing license fees; hourly premiums for weekend hours; pay incentives to hold full-time equivalent positions or to delay retirement. A recruiting initiative to bring 150 family physicians to the province is also underway.

A joint nursing council exists for representatives from Manitoba’s health-system employers and the Manitoba Nurses Union to work together to identify and implement initiatives to improve working conditions for Manitoba nurses.

These are just some of the ways Manitoba is training, retaining and recruiting more front-line workers to strengthen Manitobans’ health care.

Health care is complex, and provinces across Canada are asking for help from a federal government that sets 100 per cent of the rules and provides just 20 per cent of the dollars, all while a retiring boomer generation exits the health-care workforce while requiring more healthcare.

Over the past few years, Manitoba has removed barriers that existed under the former government and added the above measures to train, recruit and retain front-line workers.

Certainly, there is more work to do. But $200 million for these incentives is addressing these challenges head on and getting real results Manitobans can be thankful for.

I can be reached at 204-289-4545, by emailing andrew@andrewmicklefield.com or at andrewmicklefield.com