The board of directors that will govern Saskatchewan’s new health super-region has been announced.
The board is composed of 10 members appointed for three-year terms. R.W. (Dick) Carter of Regina has been appointed as board chairperson and Grant Kook of Saskatoon has been named vice-chairperson.
The eight other appointed board members are:
- Brenda Abrametz of Prince Albert
- Marilyn Charlton of Weyburn
- Judy Davis of Regina
- Robert Pletch of Regina
- Donald Rae of Yorkton
- Rosalena Smith of Pinehouse Lake
- Dr. Janet Tootoosis of North Battleford
- Tom Zurowski of Saskatoon
“It is important to our government that the Board of Directors of the new Saskatchewan Health Authority be based on competency in order to effectively guide what will be the largest organization in the province,” Health Minister Jim Reiter said in a news release Wednesday.
The group of five women and five men come from a diverse range of professional backgrounds, including governance, accounting, medicine, law, education and business, Reiter said.
“Their experience in these industries will play an integral role in guiding the transition to a single provincial health authority and achieving our goal of delivering high-quality health care for the entire province,” he said.
The board will legally begin governing operations when the Provincial Health Authority Act is proclaimed and the single health super-region officially launches.
In the meantime, the board will act in an advisory capacity to help guide the transition and prepare for operations. Board members will assist in reviewing and recommending potential candidates for chief executive officer of the provincial health authority.
“I look forward to working closely with Minister Reiter and my board colleagues to provide leadership and guidance during the transition,” Carter said.
“We share a truly remarkable opportunity to build a strong foundation for the Saskatchewan Health Authority and to improve the quality of care patients receive across our province.”
The 12 current regional health authority boards will remain in place to lead operations until the Saskatchewan Health Authority officially launches.
“The current RHA board members remain very important to the governance and operations of RHAs,” Reiter said.
“I thank all RHA board members for their leadership as they continue to serve the health system, their communities and patients.”
The date the Saskatchewan Health Authority will launch is still being determined, but is anticipated to occur in fall 2017. On that date, the 12 health region boards will dissolve and be replaced by the permanent Saskatchewan Health Authority Board.
More information on the planned transition is available online at www.saskatchewan.ca/transforming-health
