The Northern Health Region Held Its Annual General Meeting Yesterday Covering The Year Ending in March of This Year. CEO Helga Bryant says they are working to prevent bed closures that occurred over the year due to staffing shortages….. 

“Being an employer of choice it’s always a challenge when you’re in a time of 20 to 30 to 40 percent vacancy rate depending on the area and it is certainly one of our major goals.  We can’t provide patient care without having staff to fill those positions.  Staff are out most precious resource and we work absolutely diligently to fill those vacancies and do that in an environment of a global shortage and trying to recruit to northern Manitoba.”

Bryant also outlined lessons learned from COVID including the advantages of virtual care, the use of Primary Care reducing the need for emergency room visits and the Region’s partnership with the provincial Shared Health who are now aware of the challenges facing health care in the north. She praised staff at hospitals in the Region in handling the challenges with the number of patients in emergency rooms and hospitals.  The Regions annual report is available by visiting www.northernhealthregion.com.