Released on March 3, 2000
Health Minister Pat Atkinson has confirmed approval of the 1999-2000 BudgetPlan for Rolling Hills Health District, which includes communities lying to the
east, south and west of Swift Current. The yearly budget plan outlines how the
district is providing services to meet the health needs of its residents.
Included in Rolling Hills Health District is the Herbert Hospital. The
hospital admitted 378 people for in-patient acute care services in 1998-99
while also providing numerous out-patient services.
The district also operates combined health centres/nursing homes in Cabri, Gull
Lake and Mankota which provide both primary medical care and long-term care.
There are also health centres in Hodgeville and Vanguard used by physicians and
other professional health care providers for direct treatment as well as on-
going health counselling.
In addition, there are two affiliated nursing homes funded by the health
district: the Herbert Nursing Home and the Foyer St. Joseph Nursing Home in
Ponteix. In 1998-99, 206 persons received long-term care and 54 persons
received respite care in the long-term care institutions in the district.
The district also provides a wide array of other non-institutional health
services:
Home care services to an estimated 410 people a year which enable them
to remain living independently in their homes, or to recuperate
following medical treatments;
Community health services such as mental health counselling, public
health nursing services including immunizations for babies and school-
age children, as well as health promotion and disease prevention
programs for conditions such as diabetes and arthritis affecting middle-
age and elderly residents of the district;
Emergency response services, including an estimated 470 ambulance trips
a year; and
Programs to help people prevent illness and injuries, such as farm
safety programs and programs geared towards youth, such as the school-
based Peer Support Groups.
"The Rolling Hills District Health Board and its employees are working hard to
provide services and maintain or improve health status of residents of the
district," Atkinson said. "I am particularly pleased to see the district has
been able to hire a full-time physical therapist. I understand that among many
other services, she will assess elderly residents prior to and following
orthopaedic surgeries such as hip and knee replacements, to help them regain
the maximum possible level of health, mobility and independence."
Rolling Hills District Health Board Chair Bruce Deg of Vanguard said the Board
is very proud of the quality of services provided by both front-line direct
care staff and support staff working throughout the district.
"This past year, an external evaluation was conducted by the Canadian College
of Health Services Accreditation," Deg said. "Although there are always areas
which can be improved, we were pleased to be granted accreditation status.
This was the first time many of the facilities and programs in the district had
been evaluated in this way. It shows that we can be justifiably proud of our
staff for their hard work and for the caring that goes on in health care
delivery every day of the year."
Provincial funding to Rolling Hills Health District, including one-time funding
for Y2K and other purposes, is $8.7 million this year, up from $8 million last
year - a 9.6 per cent increase. The district has planned for an operating
deficit estimated at $202,000.
"The projected deficit of $202,000 equates to 2.3 per cent of the Rolling Hills
Health District's funding. We will be working with the district to achieve a
balanced budget to ensure the continuation of the services people need to
protect and maintain their health," Atkinson said.
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For more information, contact:
Jeff Brown Wayne Button
Communications Branch CEO
Saskatchewan Health Rolling Hills Health District
Phone: (306) 787-4088 Phone: (306) 773-2224