Sask. looks to open primary care clinics run by nurse practitioners

In response to concerns about the nursing shortage in Saskatchewan, the provincial government has announced a new initiative to boost the role of nurse practitioners.

According to the provincial government, a key aspect of the plan is to pilot a new model for independently operated, publicly funded nurse practitioner clinics.

These clinics will act as an additional avenue for patients to receive primary care services.

"Access to primary health care is a high priority for our government," Premier Scott Moe said in a release issued Thursday.

"By creating more opportunities for nurse practitioners throughout the health care system, we can improve access to primary health care services for Saskatchewan patients and their families."

When it comes to healthcare access in rural, regional, and northern communities, the provincial government said 25 new nurse practitioner positions will be created over the next year under the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

According to the province, the Ministry of Health will collaborate with the SHA, the Saskatchewan Association of Nurse Practitioners, and other key stakeholders to implement these initiatives effectively.

It comes at a time when recent data highlights the difficulty of retaining healthcare workers in rural Saskatchewan as more doctors and nurses continue to leave the province.

A report on the health workforce in Canada from The Canadian Institute for Health Information shows there were 1,760 rural and remote registered nurses in 2022, compared to 2,234 in 2018, the year Scott Moe took office as Premier.

Last week, the provincial government announced that Sask. has hired over 1,000 nurses since Dec. 2022 as part of Saskatchewan’s health human resources action plan.

—With files from Keenan Sorokan