By Sarah Mills/CJME

Big changes to be considered for Sask. health, education: premier

Apr 25, 2016 | 2:18 PM

Premier Brad Wall is giving the biggest hint yet that changes are on the horizon for health and education in our province.
 
During the election, the Saskatchewan Party promised to cut administration costs by $7.5 million annually and redirect that to front line staff.
 
The Progressive Conservatives went so far as to suggest getting rid of the 13 health regions. 
 
Wall won’t say whether he would be that radical but says all options need to be discussed.
 
“There is a chance for us as a province to make some transformational change in the delivery of services in health care and education, post-secondary education,” he said. “Those transformational changes should always be about the front line, improving service and doing so in a way that’s perhaps more cost-effective.”
 
Wall indicates the upcoming budget, June 1, will set the stage for consultations on finding the right balance between administration, front line delivery and savings.
 
But he insists that change won’t be “quick or dramatic”.
 
Wall doesn’t want this approach to be seen as an attack on administration saying we still want to attract the best to manage services.
 
“If we’re going to make these kind of changes, in terms of actual structures in health care and education, we want to signal that we’re interested in those changes and then engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders about how best to achieve them.”