Moe signs order allowing SHA to redistribute health-care workers due to COVID

The provincial government has taken steps to ensure health-care workers can be moved around to address COVID-19 concerns in Saskatchewan.

On Friday, Premier Scott Moe said the government would issue a new provincial emergency order Monday if the unions representing health-care workers and the Saskatchewan Health Authority couldn’t reach agreement on a deal “to provide greater flexibility in scheduling and placing health-care workers in areas experiencing surges in capacity pressures.”

That agreement wasn’t reached, so the government signed the emergency order. The provisions are to take effect immediately.

A previous letter of understanding that allowed the SHA to shuffle staff to help address COVID needs in certain areas expired earlier this year. With case numbers increasing in recent weeks, the Minister’s Order that Moe issued Monday reinstated the LOU.

It covers workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Employees International Union-West, Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union and Saskatchewan Union of Nurses.

“We are grateful for the efforts of all health-care providers and their commitment to patients, residents and clients especially during these unprecedented times. Their work is both valued and appreciated,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in a media release.

“We appreciate the leadership of the SHA, affiliates, unions and all health-care workers and know they are all committed to continue problem solving and working together to meet the challenge of the pandemic.”

The number of COVID patients in Saskatchewan hospitals rose to 209 on Monday, the highest it has been since it was 214 on Feb. 8. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled since Aug. 30, when there were 111 people with COVID in the province’s health-care facilities.