The Chief Executive Officer of Southern Health Sante Sud calls the health funding agreement reached between the provincial and federal governments good news, although it's too soon to know what the impact will be on the Regional Health Authority (RHA).

The new health deal between the Pallister Progressive Conservatives and Trudeau Liberals will provide the province an extra $10.9-million for home care and mental health services — $400-million over 10 years — and a one-time $5-million payment to address kidney disease and the opioid crisis.

Southern Health CEO Jane Curtis says it's too early to know specific details on what this deal will mean for the RHA, but notes it does appear there may be additional support in some areas of health care — such as mental health.

"We're happy to hear there's been an agreement signed," Curtis says. "I think it's really important to be working as a province but also with our federal government on health care."

Southern Health, like all other RHAs in Manitoba, has been working to meet provincially mandated cost-savings targets. In December 2016, the organization was asked to cut $11-million by the 2017-18 fiscal year. In June 2017, management layoffs were announced that are expected to produce $1.1-million in annual savings.

Curtis says the process to meet the mandated savings targets is ongoing and, again, it's not yet clear the impact the new health deal will have.

"We're waiting for details on what the next steps are. We are continuing and have been for awhile now to look at our services and how we can provide the best quality services in a sustainable way," the Southern Health CEO says. "That work is ongoing. And, again, it's so important to be working with our provincial partners to do that. Any additional funding is obviously a good thing."

"The announcement is so new that the details on the next steps are just being worked on. We should know more down the road."