Premier, Health Minister begin ‘Listening Tour’ at Grace Hospital

The theme of conversation and collaboration continued for Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew Friday morning, as he and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara were at Grace Hospital for the first leg of what they are calling, ‘the listening tour.’

“What was very clear today, is that healthcare workers are navigating a full host of challenges in terms of their emotional and mental health following the pandemic,” said Asagwara.

Following a meeting with between 60 and 70 healthcare workers, several issues arose including burnout, staffing resources, and addressing the workplace environment.

“Folks made it very clear to us that they are looking forward to and expect us to take the steps that are needed to really reinforce a positive workplace culture and to support their leaders in having the skills and tools to lead with a greater emotional intelligence and awareness.”

Premier Kinew added that staffing shortages remain a common thread among the host of challenges faced by front-line healthcare workers.

“Folks are stressed out, folks are thinking about retirement, folks are begging for help because they are short-staffed and their jobs are that much more difficult, and as a result you the patient are barring the impact,” said Kinew.

“It took seven and a half years to truly break the system, in the way that has happened to what we are experiencing now so it is not going to come back overnight.”

While cautiously optimistic, Thomas Linner of the Manitoba Health Coalition admits there is still a long road ahead in repairing the healthcare system, adding the coalition will keep a keen eye on the rise of privately delivered healthcare, and its impact on the public system.

“We need to take a look at how much is being put out of the house, to healthcare clinics, private clinics, that were poaching staff from the public system. Exactly how much are we accomplishing if we are taking those same people and just moving them from site to site rather than keeping them in the public health care system where we can see the most bang for our buck for the everyday Manitoba attempting to access these services,” said Linner.