The Manitoba government is more than halfway to its target of hiring 1,000 new health-care workers, Premier Wab Kinew announced today during a press conference at Grace Hospital. Six months into its first provincial budget, the government has added 873 net new staff to the province’s health-care system.
Kinew said the province’s staffing boost reflects the commitment to improving health care in Manitoba. “Manitobans told us clearly they want more nurses, doctors, and health-care professionals working in our province,” he said. “We made an ambitious promise to add 1,000 net new people into our system and today we’re proud to say we’re more than halfway to that goal.”
The premier emphasized that the new hires represent progress on a broader plan to fill hundreds of specific health-care positions during the government’s four-year term. The breakdown of new hires includes 116 physicians, 304 nurses, 290 health-care aides, and 87 allied health workers, with increases in staffing reported across the province and at CancerCare Manitoba.
Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara echoed the premier’s sentiments, noting that the additional staff are critical to addressing longstanding issues in the health-care system. “Every new health-care worker in our province takes us one step closer to repairing the damage done by the previous government,” said Asagwara. “With staff at our side, we can make progress on shortening wait times and delivering the best quality care.”
The government’s recruitment efforts have focused on several areas, including encouraging private-sector health-care professionals to return to the public system, increasing opportunities for new graduates, and improving working conditions to rebuild trust with health-care staff.
Among the initiatives, the province has:
- Increased training spots for professions such as medicine, nursing, and occupational therapy;
- Launched a new Healthcare Retention and Recruitment Office aimed at helping internationally educated professionals find work in Manitoba;
- Improved safety measures at major hospitals;
- Increased flexibility for nurses joining the provincial float pool.
The government has also made efforts to reach out to recent graduates, with Kinew and Asagwara sending a letter to welcome them into the health-care system.
Tiana Wyryha, a newly graduated nurse now working in Children’s Emergency at the Health Sciences Centre, expressed her enthusiasm for joining the province’s health-care workforce. “I’m so glad to work in Manitoba’s health-care system because Manitoba is my home, and I strive to give back to those within my community,” Wyryha said.
Similarly, Dr. Matthew Buchok, a psychiatrist at the Health Sciences Centre, highlighted his gratitude for the opportunity to continue practising in the province. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to stay and practice in Manitoba and have a positive impact on our community,” he said.