Legislative amendments that would support reducing the number of regional health authorities to five from 11, and improve fiscal responsibility and community involvement were introduced by Health Minister Theresa Oswald.
“A priority of the Manitoba government is to protect services like health care and ensure maximum resources are going to support front-line services,” said Oswald. “As part of Budget 2012, the number of regional health authorities (RHAs) across the province is to be reduced to five from 11. This legislation will help ensure an even more responsive RHA system.”
The minister said the regional health authorities amendment act would improve financial accountability and community involvement provisions such as:
• ensuring the new five RHAs are more responsive to the individuals, families and local communities they serve by creating new Local Health Involvement Groups and requiring RHAs to consult with patients and families in their region on community health assessments to identify the health needs of local communities and on developing RHA priorities;
• implementing tighter controls on executive compensation in RHAs, hospitals and other health corporations;
• requiring chief executive officers’ expenses for RHAs, hospitals and personal-care homes to be posted online for public review;
• placing restrictions on the rehiring of former senior executives in RHAs, hospitals and other health corporations; and
• ensuring any health organization financial surpluses from public funding be used for health services.
“Merging RHAs will help direct health resources to support front-line care and is one component of the province’s overall plan to protect quality care for families today and sustain the health-care system for tomorrow,” said Oswald.
