Seven executives from Saskatchewan’s 12 Regional Health Authorities (RHA) are taking voluntary separation packages as the province moves to a single Provincial Health Authority.
One CEO and six vice presidents are taking the packages, which total $1.9 million.
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“I need to reaffirm that this was no sort of golden handshake. This was the amount that they would be entitled to by law under contractual obligations or under common law,” Health Minister Jim Reiter said.
“When the time comes, and more positions will be eliminated, those people will be dealt with fairly as well.”
There are currently 12 RHA CEOs and 62 vice-presidents across the regions.
Reiter said that they have not determined how many people will make up the board of the Provincial Health Authority, but there will be substantial executive cuts.
“I don’t want to say how many VPs, but again there’s 62. It’ll be single digits, it certainly won’t be double digits. There will be substantial savings there,” Reiter said.
The new board will have one CEO.
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Reiter reiterated that the goal of forming the Provincial Health Authority is not to save money, but remove barriers in patient care, create efficiencies and find ways to boost frontline care.
The Provincial Health Authority is expected to be in place this fall.