Residents in the South Okanagan will now have more access to health care as the province expands the Provincial Rural Retention Incentive (PRRI) program in the region.
WATCH: The B.C. government recently announced it is expanding a program to better support healthcare workers in the South Okanagan . As our Taya Fast reports- local officials have been asking to be included in this program since it first launched.Falls will have more access to health care as the province expands the Provincial Rural Retention Incentive program in the region.
“The direct impact that a nurse will see is for the year of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, based on their amount of time actively worked,” said Tristan Newby with the BC Nurses Union.The South Okanagan is also eligible to receive up to $20,000 for recruitment signing bonuses. This is a financial incentive offered to a potential new hire.
Approximately 200 employees will be eligible to receive the incentive. The majority of health care providers receiving the incentive in Oliver will be employed at South Okanagan General Hospital.“Our communities need strong and stable health-care champions to meet the demand for health services to keep everyone healthy,” said Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen in a press release.
This is another step towards improving a health-care system that has been in a difficult period for more than a year. The South Okanagan General Hospital has already had to temporarily close 24 times this year.A lot of the resources, doctors, physicians and nurses come from outside our community to support that, said Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen.The PRRI program was introduced in several rural communities in northern B.C. in 2021 and is now available in 78 communities throughout the province.
South Okanagan South Okanagan General Hospital Health
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Okanagan Falls residents call for ‘immediate relief’ to prevent excess runoffWith rain in the forecast, some Okanagan Falls residents say they are in imminent danger as excess runoff could flood their properties again.
Read more »
Medical outreach service for vulnerable residents in Okanagan up and runningInterior Health has rolled out its Integrated Health Outreach team - I-Hot; it's a van equipped with supplies and outreach/medical professionals to help the most vulnerable.
Read more »
Thompson Okanagan residents moving away to other provincesThe Thompson Okanagan saw a significant bump in the number of international arrivals, nearly half of whom were between 25 and 39 years old.
Read more »
‘We want to come back home’: Residents of Kelowna building look for help as support wanesResidents of the evacuated Hadgraft Wilson Place have been living in Okanagan College's new dorms. They are now slated to leave and many don't know where their next real home is.
Read more »
Regina community organizations offer summer support for residents in needRegina community organizations across the city are banding together to hand out food this summer.
Read more »
Mercedes-Benz chief in South Korea to meet residents after EV fire damaged propertyThe head of Mercedes-Benz in South Korea will meet on Wednesday residents of an apartment complex damaged by a fire that started in one of its electric...
Read more »