SASKATOON – Sunday, March 13 marked the sixth day of the Saskatchewan election campaign and NDP Leader Cam Broten wasted no time in outlining a main platform point following a rough start to his campaign. Broten made a health care announcement in Saskatoon pledging to cut senior management and administrative costs in order to fund more front-line workers.
“Today I’m proud to announce that New Democrats will trim spending on bloated health care administration by $25 million per year. We will re-direct every single penny,” said Saskatchewan NDP Leader Cam Broten.
Broten added he wants to improve staffing in hospitals, care homes and home care programs by hiring continuing care aids and a diversity of nurses.
“We need to do this adjustment to make sure that we’re actually prioritizing and making sure that when a senior in a care home hits a call button there’s someone there to help them,” said Broten.
FULL COVERAGE: Decision Saskatchewan 2016
According to the NDP, the cuts and funding will come from a variety of sources.
“Sometimes through attrition and retirement and some instances when someone has experience and expertise in front line care perhaps moving back into that type of role,” said Broten.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall took the day off to spend time with his family. However a Sask Party representative sent an email Sunday afternoon saying they’ve made recruiting and retaining front-line health care workers a priority throughout their leadership.
According to the Saskatchewan Party:
- Front-line health workers such as nurses and doctors have seen significant increases in compensation under the Saskatchewan Party:
- Doctors compensation increased over 20 per cent
- Nurse compensation increased over 30 per cent
- There are 650 more doctors practicing in Saskatchewan and 3,000 more nurses of all designations:
- 21 per cent increase in Registered Nurses (RNs)
- 35 per cent increase in Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
- 94 per cent increase in Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
- Since 2007, Full-time equivalents (FTEs) have grown in all categories across long-term care:
- Licensed Practical Nurses up 37.4 per cent
- RNs up 9.3 per cent
- Care aids up 9.7 per cent
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