Winnipeg/CMEDIA: It was jointly reportedly announced today by Manitoba’s Premier Wab Kinew and Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care and Minister Uzoma Asagwara at Grace Hospital that after its first term and six months into its first provincial budget, the Manitoba government is over halfway to its goal of hiring 1,000 net new health-care workers.
“Manitobans told us clearly they want more nurses, doctors and health-care professionals…today we’re proud to say we’re more than halfway to that goal…When we work together, we can get things done that aren’t possible on our own,” said Kinew
The progress on the government’s commitment to hire hundreds of specific professions over the four-year term has led to the hiring net new health-care workers.
As a result, 31, 873 have been added, of which 116 are physicians, 304 are nurses, 290 are health-care aides and 87 are allied health across the province, with increases in staffing in every region and at CancerCare Manitoba. from April 1 to Aug.
The government has taken steps to change the health care culture including sending letters to every new graduate, and working to hire every new graduate into the system with improved safety measures for staff at major hospitals. As well, increased seats in training programs for medicine, physician assistants, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and nursing with increased training spots for internationally educated medical graduates.
A new Healthcare Retention and Recruitment Office is launched by the government focused on helping internationally educated health-care professionals find jobs or training in Manitoba, changing the requirements to facilitate nurses to return to practice with increased flexibility for nurses joining the provincial float pool.
The numbers are a result of the government’s investments in retaining, recruiting and training more health-care workers. the premier noted the inclusion of new training seats, streamlining licensing for internationally educated health-care workers and emphasizing community recruitment.
A letter has also been sent by the premier and minister to every recent graduate to welcome them to Manitoba’s health-care system.
