$4M in severance paid to execs not making jump to Sask. health authority

A new single authority for health care launches in Saskatchewan Monday.

But not all seniorleaders have made the jump to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

The Ministry of Health says it's paid out $4.1 million in severance so far to CEOs, vice-presidents and VP-equivalents who worked for the 12 folded health regions but who won't be part of the SHA's senior ranks.

Among the notable absentees from the new SHA corporate family is Dan Florizone, the former CEO of the Saskatoon Health Region.

Florizone recently told reporters that part of the reason he didn't make the jump is because he's already overseen an amalgamation like this, when 32 districts were narrowed down to the 12 regional health authorities.

"I've done it before," he said. "I just felt better for someone else to take that turn."

Shrinking bureaucracy

The CEOs of the Five Hills, Prince Albert Parkland, Sun Country, Regina Qu'Appelle and Heartland health regions have also parted ways.

Among the carryovers are the CEOs of the Kelsey Trail, Mamawetan Churchill River, Sunrise and Cypress health regions.

Overall, the number of senior administrative staffers in the province's health sector will go down by 86 per cent as a result of Monday's amalgamation.

The ministry says that will save it around $9 million in compensation every year a drop in the IV bag when weighed against the ministry's $5-billion operating budget.

Salary ranges similar

All vice-presidents for the new SHA were hired using the same classification system for non-unionized workers used by the regional health authorities for the last seven years.

Therefore the salaries paid to VPs in the new health authority fall within the same range as those paid under the old system: $249,562 to $324,430.

Top medical leaders like the chief medical officer and the physician executives will each earn anywhere from $279,509 to $363,362

Scott Livingstone, the CEO of the new health authority, will be paid a salary of nearly $400,000.