The Manitoba government has established the Ste. Anne Hospital Working Group, which will hold its first meeting later this month, to assess expanding services and explore the potential for a regional designation at Hôpital Ste-Anne Hospital in southeastern Manitoba.
“The previous government cut services at Ste. Anne Hospital while demand was increasing and families in this region felt the impact,” said Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara. “This working group will examine service capacity, staffing and infrastructure, and provide recommendations on how to strengthen care in a way that is evidence based, sustainable and responsive to the community, so patients don’t need to travel further or wait longer for care.”
The working group will collaborate to assess how services at Hôpital Ste-Anne Hospital can evolve to better meet the needs of the region, guided by clinical evidence, community input and a long-term approach to building capacity in a phased and sustainable way, the minister said.
It will examine service capacity, infrastructure, staffing and long-term sustainability, while supporting a bilingual and regionally responsive health-care system that reflects the needs of southeastern Manitoba’s growing francophone and bilingual communities, the minister added.
“This is about planning for the future in a way that reflects how our community is changing,” said Yvan St. Vincent, mayor, Town of Ste. Anne. “We’re seeing growth across the region and that means increased demand for health services. I’m honoured and excited to be part of this working group and to help ensure our residents’ voices are reflected in the decisions ahead.”
Members of the working group include representatives from government, regional and provincial health leadership, community members, municipal partners and front-line clinical expertise.
The working group will also conduct public consultations, providing opportunities for residents, health-care providers and community leaders to share their perspectives and help shape recommendations they will provide to the minister of health, seniors and long-term care and the chief executive officer of Southern Health–Santé Sud.
