WHEREAS there is a critical shortage of family physicians in the northwest region and other rural regions in Saskatchewan.

WHEREAS the assignment of SIPPA physicians in return-of-service agreements or in post-graduate residencies could help alleviate this critical shortage of primary care health care workers in the rural Saskatchewan regions.

WHEREAS the assignment of nurse practitioners to communities underserved by family physicians could also help to alleviate this critical shortage of primary health care workers in all rural Saskatchewan regions.

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government, specifically the Ministry of Health, to expand the utilization of SIPPA trained physicians and nurse practitioners to serve a greater number of rural communities and regions facing critical shortages of family physicians.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SARM advocate for these services to be provided in a greater number of regional hospitals away from major urban centres.