SHA, Extendicare reach agreement for control of five care homes in Sask.

Nearly 11 months after first announcing the transition, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) finally is set to take over operations of the five Extendicare special care homes in Saskatchewan.

A media release issued Thursday said the transition is to happen Oct. 9, but added that a final agreement is still pending.

“This has been a complex process involving the transition of staff, an assessment of assets and ensuring financial, human resource and supply chain processes are in place to support stability and continuity of services up to and after the transition date of October 9, 2022,” the health authority said in the release.

“With the agreement in principle in place, the SHA can confirm it will assume responsibility for the collective bargaining agreements and unionized employees as of the transition date and will make offers of employment to non-unionized Extendicare employees transferring to the SHA.”

There are three long-term Extendicare facilities in Regina (Elmview, Parkside and Sunset) and one each in Saskatoon (Preston) and Moose Jaw (Moose Jaw).

The decision to take control of the Extendicare operation was made after Parkside Extendicare in Regina became the site of Saskatchewan’s deadliest COVID outbreak in a long-term care home. Forty-two residents died during the outbreak, 39 of them from the virus.

On Aug. 5, 2021, the SHA took over the administration of the facilities for a 30-day period. When that expired, the SHA extended the arrangement for another month.

On Oct. 14 of last year, the authority said it would be taking full control of Extendicare’s operation in Saskatchewan after a review.

In Thursday’s media release, the SHA said it won’t be disclosing more details of the arrangement “as the overall agreement must still finalized. Until then, all transition plans for operations and staffing are subject to change.”