Latest news with #SHA
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
SHA to spend $6.5M on 77 new health-care positions across rural and remote Sask. communities
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the provincial government have announced 77 new and enhanced permanent full-time health-care positions across 30 rural and remote communities in the province. New positions include a wide range of clinical roles such as licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, combined lab and x-ray technicians, medical radiation technologists and phlebotomists, SHA said in a news release Wednesday. They will be added to communities including Kindersley, Kipling, La Ronge, Leader, Maple Creek, Melville, Moose Jaw, Nipawin, North Battleford, Outlook, Porcupine Plain, Prince Albert, Redvers, Rosetown, Shaunavon, Shellbrook, Unity, Wadena and Weyburn, the release said. SHA said some of the jobs are new permanent full-time positions, while others are part-time positions being converted to permanent full-time. It said the move will reduce reliance on contract staff and allow for more consistent coverage of emergency departments. In total, $6.2 million will be put toward the positions. The money comes from recent changes to SHA's out-of-scope administrative leadership that reduced 26 senior positions and other corporate, management and support roles, according to the release. Some of these new positions will be eligible for the Saskatchewan Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive (RRRI), which provides up to $50,000 over three years, the SHA said. The announcement stems from the province's Health Human Resources Action Plan, launched in 2022 to recruit, train, incentivize and retain-health care workers in Saskatchewan, SHA said. SHA said it has already put $4.2 million toward the creation of 27 new and 20 enhanced clinical manager positions across 45 rural and northern communities.
CBC
7 days ago
- Health
- CBC
SHA to spend $6.5M on 77 new health-care positions across rural and remote Sask. communities
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the provincial government have announced 77 new and enhanced permanent full-time health-care positions across 30 rural and remote communities in the province. New positions include a wide range of clinical roles such as licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, combined lab and x-ray technicians, medical radiation technologists and phlebotomists, SHA said in a news release Wednesday. They will be added to communities including Kindersley, Kipling, La Ronge, Leader, Maple Creek, Melville, Moose Jaw, Nipawin, North Battleford, Outlook, Porcupine Plain, Prince Albert, Redvers, Rosetown, Shaunavon, Shellbrook, Unity, Wadena and Weyburn, the release said. SHA said some of the jobs are new permanent full-time positions, while others are part-time positions being converted to permanent full-time. It said the move will reduce reliance on contract staff and allow for more consistent coverage of emergency departments. In total, $6.2 million will be put toward the positions. The money comes from recent changes to SHA's out-of-scope administrative leadership that reduced 26 senior positions and other corporate, management and support roles, according to the release. Some of these new positions will be eligible for the Saskatchewan Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive (RRRI), which provides up to $50,000 over three years, the SHA said. The announcement stems from the province's Health Human Resources Action Plan, launched in 2022 to recruit, train, incentivize and retain-health care workers in Saskatchewan, SHA said. SHA said it has already put $4.2 million toward the creation of 27 new and 20 enhanced clinical manager positions across 45 rural and northern communities.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lewis: Regina hospital physician culture is both tragedy and farce
Life is short, and based on a lifetime of experience with the genre, I cannot recommend you spend much of it reading reports on health care. But should you find yourself awaiting a root canal, a phone scroll through the 2024-25 External Review of Regina Hospital Physician Culture might make you feel a bit better about your impending chair time. In a bracing 30 pages, including appendices, the report describes a litany of dysfunctions among physicians working in what is supposed to be the most professionally managed precinct of health care. It's not all bleak. There are no allegations of American-style billing for non-existent surgeries or fistfights in the doctors' lounge. But it is plenty bad enough. The highlights: Physicians in Regina have largely held themselves apart from the mission, vision and values adopted by the SHA (Saskatchewan Health Authority) since its formation in 2017. We heard examples of divisions and departments where it appears pursuit of financial compensation has overtaken the priority for high quality accessible care for patients. There is no functioning electronic health record, and no database that allows either effective wait list management or workforce planning. The Ministry of Health allows interests to plead their cases directly, undermining the SHA mandated to run the system. Whether rooted in illness, aging or personality factors, disruptive patterns of behaviour have often been in place for many years and not addressed in a decisive fashion. Very few physicians were able to describe how they monitor and improve quality in their services. Leaders who have identified problematic behaviours and acted appropriately to protect patients and teams should not be vilified or suffer retribution. In some cases, efforts to recruit have been thwarted by physicians to preserve their service volumes despite wait times. There are legacy contracts, deals and arrangements that create inequity and inconsistency in negotiating with physicians and groups. It is embarrassing to have to commission a review to make blindingly obvious recommendations. A report on a school system in similar disarray would recommend having principals who are actually in charge. The schools should teach the students to read and write. They should know what students' needs are and organize to meet them. There should be no side deals and special privileges for a few teachers. Records should be computerized and generate data to plan and assess performance. Evaluate your staff. Discipline teachers who throw tantrums and abuse their colleagues. Is it any wonder why people misbehave when bad behaviour is not only tolerated, but rewarded? The Regina physicians have told the SHA to park its mission, vision and values where the sun don't shine for eight years, with zero consequence. So much for a unified provincial system. Medical groups have frozen out new recruits to protect their incomes while wait lists ballooned. Physician leaders who tried to impose some order and civility were abused and left hung out to dry. Don't for a moment think these problems are unique to Regina. Do a quick search of conflict of interest in Alberta, or pediatric chaos in Kelowna. The only difference between Regina and dozens of other communities is that Regina's pathologies are now out in the open. Like all reports written by physicians about physicians, professional self-governance is assumed to be entirely in the public interest, fully compatible with fulfilling public and professional obligations found routinely unfulfilled, and despite acknowledgement that 'some physicians have lost the plot of why we are here.' And therein lies the problem. The report says as much: 'Physician autonomy is clashing with the broader social contract to ensure quality and safety.' Workers at Starbucks or Toyota can tell you how their work is organized and monitored to produce quality. Most physicians in Regina are tongue-tied. This is what you get when a profession is accountable to itself, and self-evaluation in a data-free environment is standard operating procedure. A cultural problem? Sounds so much more anthropological than negligence, cowardice, greed, and abdication of responsibility. As a wise physician friend told me years ago, what you permit, you promote. The rot has been called out. What next? Steven Lewis spent 45 years as a health policy analyst and health researcher in Saskatchewan. He can be reached at slewistoon1@ The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Business Upturn
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Vedanta faces fresh scrutiny over unapproved brand fees and potential breach of shareholder agreement with government: Report
Vedanta Limited (VEDL) and its subsidiary Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) have come under fresh scrutiny following two detailed reports by Viceroy Research alleging corporate governance lapses, questionable brand fee arrangements, and alleged misuse of employee welfare funds for lobbying activities. Vedanta – Zinc Twice Before You Act$HZL's unapproved brand fees carry an undisclosed termination clause, and appear to trigger an event of default and a sovereign call/put per its SHA with the Government of India. $VEDL #thread 1/ — Viceroy (@viceroyresearch) July 17, 2025 In its latest report dated July 17, 2025, Viceroy Research raised concerns over an unapproved 'brand fee' imposed by Vedanta on HZL since October 2022. According to the report, the brand fee was introduced through a contract between HZL and Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), allegedly without approval from the Government of India (GoI), which is a minority shareholder in HZL under a shareholder agreement (SHA). The report claims this arrangement not only violates the SHA but also includes undisclosed termination clauses that could trigger an 'event of default,' allowing the government to exercise sovereign call or put options on Vedanta's stake in HZL. These options would potentially allow the GoI to either purchase Vedanta's stake at a discount or force Vedanta to buy the government's stake at a premium, exposing Vedanta to significant losses. Viceroy also flagged that the brand fees are being used as rolling credit for VRL, secured against VRL's loans, and allegedly serve more as a financing mechanism than a legitimate payment for services. The report suggests these arrangements weaken HZL's financial position while benefiting the promoter-controlled VRL. Earlier, in another report dated July 15, 2025, Viceroy Research alleged that shareholder entities Bhadram Janhit Shalika Trust (BJST) and PTC Cables Pvt Ltd (PTCC) — which it describes as undisclosed, promoter-controlled entities — have been diverting substantial employee welfare funds into political lobbying rather than employee benefits. According to the July 15 report, since FY20, BJST and its subsidiary PTCC have collectively received over ₹1,499 crore in dividends from VEDL and HZL: FY25: ₹320.35 crore FY24: ₹373.30 crore FY23: ₹701.04 crore FY22: ₹3.80 crore FY21: ₹83.59 crore FY20: ₹166.61 crore The report claims these entities have acted as hidden shareholder vehicles under the Agarwal family's control, allegedly prioritizing lobbying and influence campaigns over the stated purpose of employee welfare. Responding to these allegations, Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal stated on July 10, 2025: 'As far as this report has come, we are so transparent. My fundamental value is very important to remain disclosure and the transparent, and this is our strength.' Both reports highlight what Viceroy Research calls 'habitual governance failures' and urge the Government of India to take remedial action, including reclaiming allegedly misused brand fee payments and reassessing dividend payouts to BJST and PTCC. The allegations have sparked fresh debate about transparency, related-party transactions, and corporate governance at Vedanta and its subsidiaries at a time when the group faces mounting scrutiny over its debt and cash flow position. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Hamilton Spectator
16-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
STARS suspends landings at Humboldt Hospital helipad
HUMBOLDT — STARS will no longer be landing at Humboldt Hospital. In a statement from STARS, 'On June 16, 2025, STARS notified the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) that, effective June 30, 2025, it would no longer land at the temporary helipad at Humboldt Hospital.' Officials with the City of Humboldt and the owner and operator of Humboldt Ambulance Services were also notified. Currently, when STARS transports a patient from Humboldt Hospital, the helicopter lands at the Humboldt Airport and the patient is transferred by ground ambulance. STARS has typically landed at the hospital site 10 to 12 times per year, said Doug Dahl, spokesperson for the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Dahl told , 'The SHA has held discussions with STARS, the City of Humboldt, Humboldt Hospital clinical leadership and the Humboldt and District Health Foundation about constructing a permanent helipad that meets Transport Canada requirements. These include a concrete pad, appropriate markings, fencing and a windsock. The proposed location is near the current temporary site.' 'Due to ongoing construction north of Humboldt Hospital, the temporary landing zone that has supported STARS operations in the community no longer meets the requirements under the Canadian Aviation Regulations,' said Blake Robert, spokesperson for STARS. 'As this location is not a certified heliport, we are unable to continue using it for patient transport.' 'While this change limits our ability to land directly at the hospital, STARS remains committed to serving the people of Humboldt and the surrounding area. We will continue to respond to critical care needs by flying into the Humboldt Airport for inter-facility transfers as needed,' Robert said. Robert added that STARS continues to work with health and community partners to explore long-term solutions that ensure rapid access to emergency medical transport for the region. STARS helicopters can be airborne within approximately 10 minutes of a call being accepted by dispatch. 'We remain committed to working with local administration and the health authority to provide the best critical care possible to the people of Saskatchewan,' Robert said. Robert added: 'We remain committed to working with local administration and the health authority to provide the best critical care possible to the people of Saskatchewan.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
