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Sunrise health board commends Family Resource Centre and combats youth depression

Sunrise health board said in surplus position with revenue exceeding expenditures by almost $500,000

            The Sunrise Regional Health Authority celebrated the grand opening of Kamsack’s Family Resource Centre while thinking of ways to prevent youth depression during the final board meeting of 2016.

            On November 30, the Sunrise Regional Health Authority met in the board room at Yorkton Regional Health Centre in Yorkton, said a release from Sunrise Health Region.

           Don Rae, chairperson, reported on attendance at the Sunrise Regional Health Authority committee for human resources, the practitioner liaison council, and the regional meeting of the three community health advisory committees. The provincial leadership group met on November 16, when it was announced that Sunrise Health Region is performing well for all items being tracked on the provincial strategy wall. Rae also discussed how he represented the Authority during a celebration commemorating the grand opening of the Kamsack Family Resource Centre on November 25. He said he had been impressed by Chanel Kitchen, a parent and community member who spoke eloquently about the benefits her family had experienced as a result ofthe centre.

            Suann Laurent, president and CEO, discussed updates from her report. Preparations for 2017 and 2018 strategic planning began thanks to the annual diagnosis and review study session held in November, she said.

            The group of senior leaders at the session included regional and affiliate board representatives, the executive and director’s team, physician leaders, and a patient representative.

            The leaders considered strategic progress reports and suggestions were brought forward from staff huddles throughout the region. Rae and Laurent will present the results of the review for consideration at the provincial leadership team strategy planning sessions.

            A process for suicide risk assessment is being implemented in the region’s emergency departments. The process is beginning at the Canora Hospital and Yorkton Regional Health Centre as part of the provincial suicide protocol and will better connect physicians and emergency room nurses with mental health and addictions service supports to prevent suicides.

            Depression and anxiety in young people are growing concerns that the Authority wishes to combat before suicide risk becomes necessary, it said. Sunrise Health Region and Good Spirit School Division are partnering to bring an education and early intervention program into classrooms.

            The program is called “Friends” and teaches skills and builds resiliency to help students to stay mentally and physically healthy.

            Purposeful interaction was put in place as of October at Foam Lake Jubilee Home. Itis a management and employee-driven initiative to ensure that all long-term care residents have their needs met during timely, consistent, and meaningful interactions with all members of their health care team, the release said. Plans are underway for the long-term care managers and staff at all 13 care homes in the Sunrise Health Region to have implemented the practice by March 31.

            The health region is continuing efforts to secure staffing of vacant positions in the Kamsack laboratory. A permanent full-time medical laboratory technician commenced work in November.

            The health region is also recruiting for a position which became vacant in November and is exploring all options to prevent interruptions in laboratory services.

            The regional pharmacy department has received naloxone and is in the process of packaging kits of the life-saving medication for distribution to the family and support persons of individuals at risk of opiate overdose.

            Tours were arranged for representatives from two health authorities from British Columbia, as well as the CEO of the Saskatchewan Association of Safe Workplaces in Health.

           The group wanted to learn about the health, safety and quality improvement initiatives in Sunrise that are helping to reduce injury rates. The health region is on track this year for a huge reduction in transfers, lifts and repositioning (TLR) injuries, reducing the accident rate by 46 per cent. The Saskatchewan Safety Association recently highlighted Sunrise Health Region as a high performer in safety work, so many, including a Saskatoon Health Region delegate, are requesting meetings and tours.

            The ethics committee has received a request from a physician for an ethics consult outside of Yorkton. Video conferencing Telehealth equipment was used for this purpose, the first time it has been used for this purpose, and the positive experience should ensure timely ethics consultations for physicians and families outside of Yorkton. Those who wish to learn more about the ethics committee’s work in Sunrise Health Region may visit the “Patients, Clients and Visitors” section of the health region website.

            As the regional health authority representative on The Health Foundation, Shirley Wolfe-Keller reported on the fundraising activities of the Foundation, including the donation of a house valued at $169,900 from Jack Wruth and Doris Shank of Re/Max Blue Chip Realty. The house will be the prize in a lottery to assist The Health Foundation’s fundraising for replacement of the Yorkton Regional Health Centre.

            Dave Schappert, vice-chairperson, co-chaired a joint meeting for the Community Health Advisory Committees (CHAC) on November 28. CHAC membership applications were receivedand approved by the Board for Kamsack area students Breanna Bland and Brayden Fatteicher.

            The health region is grateful to have the interest of five Kamsack Comprehensive Institute students who are members of the north area CHAC.

            Michelle Rondeau, community health educator, presented information on the community health promotion grants program and the review committee recommendations for projects meeting the selection criteria. A total of 56 applications were received with 25 health promotion projects approved in 15 different communities.

            The Board approved the purchase of capital equipment and projects totaling $94,357. The financial condition report, which included information up to September 30, showed Sunrise Health Region in a surplus position with operating revenues exceeding operating expenditures by $445,929 or 0.4 per cent of the budget. The balanced score card of regional metrics showspositive trends in many areas, including regional hand hygiene compliance which is now at 86 per cent. Improvements have also been seen in reducing sick time, lost time, medical aide incidents and staff injuries. The number of surgeries performed this quarter was down due to the temporary leave of absence of one of the specialists. The surgical numbers are expected to rebound in the next quarter.

            A presentation by Sandy Tokaruk, who is the vice-president of integrated primary health services, outlined the highlights and successes experienced within her portfolio over the past year. The integrated primary health services portfolio has an annual budget of more than $44.3 million with responsibility for the services including primary health care, therapies, mental health and addictions services, public health, home care, medical social work, and KidsFirst. Intersectoral and community partnerships are key to effective integrated primary health services. Integrated primary health services works with Saulteaux Pelly Health Initiative, First Nations organizations, committees and communities, the Society for the Involvement of Good Neighbours (SIGN), school divisions, the Good Spirit Management Committee, HUB, ministries of social services, justice, corrections, and education; the HIV Collaborative, Yorkton Community Unity, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Yorkton Transitional Homes for Youth, Age Friendly Yorkton, Yorkton Housing Committee, Community Care Team, family resource centres in Yorkton and Kamsack, and municipalities and community groups throughout the health region.

            The next regular meeting of the Regional Health Authority will be held January 25.