Prairie North Health Region continues to prepare for potential job action by its employees who are members of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS), according to a press release.
"If we are advised by HSAS that job action is to occur in Prairie North, we will do our very best to contact as quickly as possible any clients who have appointments that need to be cancelled due to job action," said Irene Denis, PNHR vice-president of Corporate Services.
"We strongly encourage clients who have scheduled outpatient appointments - especially clients who must travel considerable distances for those appointments - to call ahead to ensure their appointment has not been affected by job action," Denis added.
"Those calls should be directed to the location or office where the scheduled appointment was to take place."
Among the types of appointments that may be impacted if HSAS takes job action in Prairie North are those with addictions counsellors; assessors/coordinators; dental health therapists; dieticians; health educators; infection control practitioners; mental health therapists; nutritionists; occupational, physical, and recreational therapists; early childhood and other psychologists; psychometricians; public health inspectors; health system social workers; speech and language pathologists; and others.
"All other PNHR services that do not have HSAS employees and those services where HSAS employees have been deemed essential are expected to be available," said Denis. "All surgeries, physician appointments, and most hospital-based outpatient procedures and visits would continue without interruption."
Prairie North Health Region is working to provide our patients and clients, and the general public, with the most up-to-date information PNHR has available. Patients/clients and the public can call the Region's Job Action Information Line for updates on HSAS job action in Prairie North and any potential impacts on the Region's programs and services. The Job Action Information Line is 1-877-833-4161. The information is also available on the Region's website at www.pnrha.ca .
HSAS represents approximately 220 employees in PNHR.
