The next step in the transition to a single provincial health authority was taken on Wednesday as Jim Reiter appointed the board of directors.

The 10-person board of directors has been appointed for a three-year term and includes five women and five men.

R.W. (Dick) Carter from Regina will be board chair, and Saskatoon's Grant Kook was named vice-chairperson.

“I look forward to working closely with Minister Reiter and my board colleagues to provide leadership and guidance during the transition,” Carter said. “We share a truly remarkable opportunity to build a strong foundation for the Saskatchewan Health Authority and to improve the quality of care patients receive across our province.”
 
The board members are as follows:
 
  • R.W. (Dick) Carter
  • Grant Kook
  • Brenda Abrametz
  • Marilyn Charlton
  • Judy Davis
  • Robert Pletch
  • Donald Rae
  • Rosalena Smith
  • Dr. Janet Tootoosis
  • Tom Zurowski
“It is important to our government that the Board of Directors of the new Saskatchewan Health Authority be based on competency in order to effectively guide what will be the largest organization in the province,” Reiter said. “This distinguished group of five women and five men come from a diverse range of professional backgrounds, including governance, accounting, medicine, law, education, and business. Their experience in these industries will play an integral role in guiding the transition to a single provincial health authority and achieving our goal of delivering high-quality health care for the entire province.”
 
The new health authority is expected to come into being in the fall of this year, when the board will legally begin governing upon proclamation of the Provincial Health Authority Act. The board will help in finding a suitable Chief Executive Officer, and aid the amalgamation process in the meantime.

“The current RHA board members remain very important to the governance and operations of RHAs,” Reiter said. “I thank all RHA board members for their leadership as they continue to serve the health system, their communities and patients.”
 
The existing 12 health regional health authority boards will stay in place until the amalgamation.