CEO Report - March 7, 2024
CEO Report: Highlights of strategic priorities focused work accomplishments
The SHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) called attention to a number of areas within our strategic roadmap that have seen steady progress in the past number of months. The Saskatchewan Health Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and our partners continue to make progress attracting health care workers to Saskatchewan as part of the work in the Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain health care workers across the province. Recruitment efforts continue in a number of areas including Internationally Educated Nurses, rural and remote stabilization, physician assistants, expansion of training seats and First Nations and Métis Health where the SHA has established a partnership with the Gabriel Dumont Institute, a key strategy to support capital expansions in La Ronge and Prince Albert. Fifty new physicians have been recruited to Saskatchewan in October to December, 2023, 25 of whom are Specialist physicians, and 25 of whom are Family Medicine physicians. Three new anesthesiologists have been recruited to regional sites including Yorkton, Moose Jaw and Swift Current. A Staff Safety Plan, a targeted three year rolling plan with specific actions to improve safety in key areas such as a safety model line, will begin implementation in the coming months.
Collaborative work with Ministry of Health colleagues continues to see key actions implemented in relation to the provincial Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan, including the three pillars of building capacity, improving the system and moving to a recovery-oriented system of care model. In response to increasing overcapacity across Saskatchewan hospitals, the Saskatchewan Health Authority has developed individual Saskatoon and Regina Capacity Pressure Action Plans to identify immediate and longer term deliverables to address capacity pressures, specifically focused on ensuring patients are receiving the safe, quality of care they need in the appropriate setting in a safe manner, closer to home. All of the initiatives outlined in the Action Plans will address pressures in the urban centres, which will provide a direct benefit to system-wide capacity pressures across the province.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action Steering Committee has been established, incorporating an array of senior leaders within Saskatchewan Health Authority operations and corporate services as well as Patient Family Partners and a First Nations Elder. One of the immediate priorities includes implementing processes and structures to measure and report on the Saskatchewan Health Authority response to the Calls to Action. The committee will also work to deploy approaches, strategies and actions that respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action through all levels of the organization. On March 4, 2024, the committee members connected for a full-day planning session to develop a 5-year roadmap for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.
Chief Medical Officer’s report: Priority work on the Health Human Resources Plan and Physician Recruitment
With the support of the Government of Saskatchewan (GoS) and their investment into Health Human Resource (HHR) initiatives announced in March 2023, the SHA has worked to progress many areas of physician HHR. The SHA has prioritized the recruitment of anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, and family physicians while continuing the work to recruit physicians more generally in alignment with patient and population need. The SHA continues to advance our relationship with the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) with a particular focus on maintenance of the Bylaws. Progressing the development and maintenance of the Bylaws remains a priority.
Physician HHR has significantly progressed in Quarter 3 (Q3) and into Quarter 4 (Q4) with the collection and analysis of provincial data accompanied by the development of dashboards to allow data to be viewed and used by Areas and Departments. Focus on supporting the recruitment and retention of Anesthesiologists and Psychiatrists to stabilize and enhance access to these specialty services in the province has been successful with the Pre-licensure Assessment (PLA) program, the new competitive incentive program, and a growing partnership with the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA). In the past few months, the PLA program has helped to recruit four new anesthesiologist to urban sites, three new anesthesiologists to regional sites and six new psychiatrists to the province. Investments made by the GoS to enhance the Rural Physician Incentive Program (RPIP) have also been successful. The enhanced RPIP expands eligibility beyond new graduates to all new-to-rural practice physicians.
SHA 2024-25 & 2025-26 Capital Expenditure Plans and Three Year Foundation Commitments
Each year the Ministry of Health (MoH) allocates capital funding to the SHA to support priority capital infrastructure maintenance and equipment replacement. MoH approved funding is provided in three categories including life safety/emergency infrastructure funding supports, capital equipment funding supports and major projects detailed in the Budget Day announcement.
The premise of a multi-year capital expenditure plan allows for project planning to occur in the current fiscal year to support efficiencies in project delivery for the subsequent fiscal year. To achieve this, projects need to advance through the design and procurement phase which requires a funding commitment. New this year is a Three Year Foundation commitment plan.
The Finance Department provided a presentation overview on the plans and commitments. The SHA Board approved the 2024-25 Capital Expenditure Plan and the notional 2025-26 Capital Expenditure Plan, both developed based on prior year’s funding levels as well as providing approval on the Three Year Foundation Capital Expenditure plan developed based on foundation intentions.
Other Items of Note
- Internal Audit Charter: The SHA Internal Audit Charter provides oversight of the internal audit function of the SHA on behalf of the Board. The Internal Audit Charter was last amended in February 2020, and has been annually endorsed since then. The Audit, Finance and Risk Committee provides oversight of this function and has provided required amendments to the Charter which received SHA Board approval.
- Office of the Provincial Auditor Annual Audit Plan: Under Canadian Auditing Standards, and the terms of reference of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) Audit, Finance and Risk Committee (AFRC), the AFRC shall meet with the external auditor to obtain and review necessary information regarding the auditor’s approach and strategy for the annual audit of the financial statements of the SHA. The Annual Audit Plan contains information on audit objectives, management responsibilities, approach, key audit areas and risks, draft reports, timelines, key contacts and other relevant information to conduct the year-end audit. The SHA Board approved the Office of the Provincial Auditor’s annual Audit Plan for the year ended March 31, 2024.
- Safety Charter Annual Review: On May 19, 2019 the SHA signed a Safety Charter to publicly declare its commitment to the physical, psychological, social, cultural and environmental safety for all individuals. Leadership for safety is pivotal in establishing a robust safety culture where safety is embedded in every aspect of the organization. It must foster an environment where safety is a shared responsibility and a common value and is key to ensuring the SHA meets its legislative and Accreditation Canada requirements regarding patient and staff safety and leadership. The Safety Charter, as part of its annual review, was endorsed by the SHA Board as established.
- Governance Charter Bi-Annual Approval: The Governance Charter interprets direction and important principles governing the SHA. It describes the Board's roles, responsibilities and how these are carried out by the Board when conducting its governance role. The Governance Charter also includes the Authority, Expectations and Conditions defining the Chief Executive Officer's accountability. The SHA Board approved suggested revisions to the Governance Charter with updates and additions in areas related to Our Commitment to Truth & Reconciliation, Our Commitment to Each Other: Patient Rights & Responsibilities, and updating Accreditation Canada, Governance Standards references to the new standards.