Our provincial health care system is undergoing significant reform with a new health care plan, released as a response to a number of study groups and committees, including the Ken Fyke Commission on Health Care.

Many people were expecting bad news, particularly in light of some in the medical profession who called for major overhauls to Saskatchewan's system.

The end result, released by Health Minister John Nilson, was not as drastic as was feared, and showed signs of treading lightly in a political sense - but the plan is only the start of what will prove to be a long-term process of reform.

Instead of closing rural hospitals, as was widely predicted might happen, hospitals were designated to different levels, such as regional or district hospitals (Weyburn's General has been designated a district hospital); in addition, the 32 health districts have been reconfigured into health authorities, with South Central to disappear and be joined up with South East and Moose Mountain Health Districts.

There are many other changes yet to come, such as the formation of primary health teams, plus more training is to be provided for ambulance personnel, and a new toll-free 24-hour phone care line will be started up in 2002.

Critics feel the plan didn't go far enough, particularly as no rural hospitals will be closed or converted, and little was put in about retention of health care personnel, which is a major issue for both doctors and nurses in Saskatchewan.

The plan will apparently not affect South Central's Tatagwa View long-term care facility project, worth about $17.5 million, as this is reported to be No. 1 on the health department's priority list for building projects. This is good news for the local district, although the status of Phase II, the new acute care facility to replace the hospital, is still not known. South Central CEO Lee Spencer promised Weyburn city council that this city will always have acute care; the question is, what form will it take?

One of the areas of concern will be the makeup of the new health regions. They will be 12-member boards to cover a huge area, and all the members will be appointed, using some of the current members of the health districts. Minister Nilson says that the board members will only initially be appointed, until the new system is put in place and is functioning, but this is not a promise set in stone. It takes the accountability and local control of health care facilities out of the hands of elected officials and puts it into the hands of political appointees.

There is much more that needs to be finalized, including what the new health action plan is going to cost the taxpayers of Saskatchewan, and how the new regional authorities will be able to respond to local needs in a much larger area. As some pundits commented in response to the plan's release, bigger is not necessarily better, nor is it necessarily more cost-effective.

With former premier Roy Romanow set to come out with a review of Canada's health care system, there is a need for flexibility to remain in Saskatchewan's plan to ensure we end up with a system that is both more cost effective, and better serves our health care needs. - G.N.