Province Exploring Ways To Increase Access To Health Services
The Government of Saskatchewan is exploring solutions to improve patient access to health care services and strengthen the health care system. The Ministry of Health will begin consultations with stakeholders to enhance the scope of practice for pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and advanced care paramedics. The aim is to inform any legislative, regulatory or bylaw amendments that may be required to allow these health professionals to offer more comprehensive services.
Health Minister Paul Merriman believes that by empowering highly educated health care professionals to utilize all of their knowledge and skills, patients will have a greater choice and more timely access to health services. These consultations align with the government’s four-point plan to recruit, train, incentivize, and retain health care workers in Saskatchewan.
Some of the potential changes could include allowing paramedics to stitch minor wounds, granting nurse practitioners hospital admission and discharge privileges, and the possibility of independent prescribing for pharmacists.
These changes are expected to benefit patients by reducing wait times for primary care and providing additional options for accessing health care services. Moreover, it will allow all health professionals to contribute to safe care across multiple services, as the government works to support the Health Human Resource Action Plan. The consultations will include input from regulatory bodies, associations, unions, and health system partners, and are expected to take several weeks. The government and health system partners will continue to explore opportunities for scope optimization and expansion for other health professionals in the future.
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