The Manitoba government is adding 50 healthcare professionals to service four new regional CanerCare Manitoba hubs to benefit patients as they undergo cancer treatment.
The new regional hubs will be located in Brandon, Selkirk, Steinbach and Thompson and open over the next year. The hubs are part of an expansion of 16 rural chemotherapy sites, which will be fully implemented by 2015.
Manitoba’s first CancerCare hub was opened in Morden/Winkler last year. In Monday’s throne speech, the province pledged to transform all 16 rural chemotherapy centres into full CancerCare hubs in the future. The hubs offer better, coordinated services to support patients as they receive testing and care.
The 50 new front-line staff will include eight more pathologists, 35 more technologists, two cancer testing coordinators, and eight new positions in rural CancerCare hubs (social workers and patient navigators).
“We’re focused on the things that matter most to Manitoba families and there’s nothing more important than ensuring your family gets the care they need, regardless of where they live,” said Premier Greg Selinger.
Selinger also released a new five-year provincial cancer strategy for a more integrated and cohesive approach to cancer that involves prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care and survivorship.
— Staff
