This week’s announcement by the Province of more dollars for recruiting and retaining health care professionals, is welcome news to rural health regions.

The $25 million added to the recruitment and retention fund brings the available resources to $250 million over the next three years.

Of the added funding, $6 million is earmarked for retention programs and a further $6 million goes toward relocation grants and for northern, rural and hard-to-recruit positions.

Cal Tant, CEO for Sun Country Regional Health Authority, says the initiatives should fit well with those already in place in the region.

“Recruitment of physicians and nurses is an ongoing process,” says Tant. “We will be sure to take full advantage of any additional funding.”

Sun Country develops its initiatives in consultation with local officials, including Reeves, Mayors and health foundation representatives and maintains a vigorous recruitment effort.

Tant says a key to recruitment is overcoming the erroneous perceptions that are widely held about Saskatchewan, and in particular, rural Saskatchewan.

Sun Country plans a marketing campaign to change that.

“We have a lot to sell, not the least of which is that it is a good place to live and to raise a family,” Tant says. “We will be selling that aspect.”

Kipling itself is currently facing some medical staffing changes. Doctors M.M and A.E Mahomed will be leaving at the end of March, and only Dr. J. Steyn will be staying on.

Currently, Tant says at least one new candidate has expressed an interest in coming to Kipling.

In any case, Sun Country will try to bring in locums in the interim, and will keep up its recruitment efforts to fill the permanent positions as soon as possible.

Sun Country is not alone in its struggle to keep a full complement of physicians. A shortage of both physicians and nurses is of provincial and national concern, Tant says.

To help deal with the country’s shortage of physicians, graduates from certain other countries are often granted temporary licences to practice in Canada. However, to earn a permanent licence, all must pass the same examinations as those who graduate from Canadian Medical Schools.

The Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons allows five years for them to do so and offers study assistance during that time.