November 22, 2024
Manitoba Government Listening Tour Leads to Frontline Health-Care Improvements
– – –Provincewide Tour Heard from Hundreds of Frontline Workers, Work is Underway: Premier
STEINBACH—Premier Wab Kinew and Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara are meeting with frontline workers at Bethesda Regional Health Centre today on the last stop of the first phase of the health-care listening tour. These listening sessions have led to many follow-up meetings with folks to discuss ideas, solutions, and how to address concerns.
“This listening tour has helped to deliver real results to the frontline of our health-care system,” said Kinew. “Our government believes the closer you get to the bedside, the more you know about how to improve health care. The diversity and strength of frontline workers is evident, and their feedback and experiences will inform health care in Manitoba for years to come. Change will not happen overnight, but work is underway.”
The Manitoba government launched the health-care listening tour to hear from frontline workers and rebuild a relationship that was damaged by the previous government’s mismanagement and cuts, the premier noted.
“These first-hand experiences, and solutions, from the frontlines have mapped out where we need to take health care in this province,” said Asagwara. “It’s going to take time, but we’ve made significant progress in our first year on staffing, beds, safety, and increasing wages for some of the lowest paid workers in our province. The work won’t stop there, and we will continue to deliver on the issues that matter most to frontline workers. Our first step in health care continues to be taking care of those who take care of us.”
Throughout the tour, participants expressed concerns about burnout, safety, cost of living, and staffing. Health-care workers proposed a number of solutions to these issues including hiring more staff, adding more security, increasing wages, and rebuilding trust between staff and management.
“Seeing Minister Asagwara take the time to engage with nurses and midwives in the Maternity Ward at Thompson General Hospital, listening to us directly about the barriers we face and the potential solutions, was deeply encouraging,” said Tracy Mullet, registered midwife, Northern Regional Health Authority and president of the Midwives Association of Manitoba. “Too often, the realities of practising midwifery in the north can be overlooked in broader provincial discussions, and our voices can feel drowned out by louder, more central narratives. One key issue is the recruitment and retention of staff in the north, and if the government truly listens to our voices, there may be a chance to address this challenge. Minister Asagwara and Premier Kinew’s visit to Thompson was a genuine listening tour —focused on hearing from those on the front lines, not just talking at us.”
Since its launch in November 2023, the health-care listening tour has visited frontline workers at Grace Hospital, St. Boniface Hospital, Selkirk Mental Health Centre, Victoria Hospital, Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg, Brandon Regional Health Centre and Thompson General Hospital.
The EngageMB survey will remain open until further notice to ensure frontline health-care workers can continue to share their challenges, solutions and innovations with this listening government, the minister said.
The online survey is available at: https://engagemb.ca/listeningtothefrontline.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
What We Heard, What We Did, and What We Are Doing - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2024/11/BG-Bethesda_Listening_Tour-PR_HSLC.pdf