Yesterday the Government announced an ambitious goal in terms of surgeries performed in Saskatchewan for this year, and today the Saskatchewan Health Authority presented its budget which shows ” $42.5 million is being dedicated to the surgical program, to provide an additional 6,000 procedures this fiscal year.
Today the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) Board of Directors approved a $4.82 billion operating budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, as well as a capital expenditure plan of more than $314.7 million for 2023-24.
In a news release SHA Board Chair Arlene Wiks says, “The budget approved today strengthens those services by prioritizing investments that will enhance care for the patients and residents we serve across the province.”
SHA’s 2023-24 operational budget includes:
-$27.3 million to address the health human resource strategy to meet future healthcare needs;
-$42.5 million to the surgical program, to provide an additional 6,000 procedures (for a total of 103,000 surgeries this fiscal year);
-$39 million to support seniors’ care and facilitate seniors living in their own homes and the community;
-$19.8 million increase to support 64 permanent acute and complex care beds located at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon (36 beds) and Pasqua Hospital in Regina (28 beds);
-$8.8 million to enhance emergency medical services (EMS)
-$6 million for year two of a multi-year ICU enhancement strategy to support new ICU beds and improve levels of care at existing sites;
-$12.4 million to address new and ongoing Mental Health and Addictions initiatives;
-$7 million for specialized medical imaging services, including additional Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Interventional Radiology (IR) capacity in the province; and-$6.9 million to improve access and enhance Cardiology, Neurology, and Epilepsy Services.
The SHA capital budget includes:
-$63.8 million toward safety and emergency infrastructure, which includes enhancements to building envelopes, electrical work, fire safety, security, and interior, functional renovations;
-$41.2 in equipment funding to improve patient care including improvements to diagnostic imaging, operating rooms, patient rooms, infection control, and environmental services;
-$208.43 million to major capital projects in communities such as Prince Albert, Weyburn, Grenfell, Yorkton, La Ronge, Saskatoon, and Regina;
-$1.3 million to long-term care ventilation projects and upgrades at various long-term care facilities throughout the province.
