Health-care delivery is continually changing to enhance the quality of patient care, and as health professionals we need to evolve and embrace change. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists and other health-care professionals increasingly work side by side on multi-disciplinary teams improving patient safety and health outcomes.

The University of Manitoba’s new Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) – comprised of the Colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Rehabilitation Sciences – reflects the health sector’s evolving focus on inter-professional models of care as well as the Province’s new Regulated Health Professions Act which will redefine boundaries between health professions, and the scope and nature of health care practice.

Our new, integrated Faculty of Health Sciences will facilitate the following:

• Create enhanced research competitiveness and multi-disciplinary collaboration through an integrated approach to research planning and support;
• provide exemplary community outreach and service, particularly targeted to underserved populations;
• train future generations of health professionals and health researchers within a collegial environment, that is both socially and fiscally responsible;
• accelerate inter-professional education opportunities and practice models, with graduates better prepared to practice in an inter-disciplinary environment;
• maximize potential to expand rural distributed education models and, in turn, recruit and retain more health professionals across Manitoba; and
• provide a singular, more effective liaison with government resulting in greater opportunities for partnerships and external support.

The FHS implementation steering committee is addressing next steps to implement the new faculty structure and the Council of Deans (deans of each member college) are meeting bi-weekly to address FHS issues.

Nine sub-committees comprised of faculty and support staff representatives from each college are creating action plans for key faculty-wide ‘platforms’ that will foster integrated planning and harness resources around unified strategies: Aboriginal services; Academic affairs; Communications; Faculty development; Governance/bylaws; HR/finance; Inter-professional education; Research; and Student Services.

College Deans in the FHS will hold a town hall with faculty, staff and students on April 17, 2014 from Noon – 1:00 pm in Theatre C, Basic Medical Sciences Building. It will be webcast on umanitoba.ca/healthsciences and video linked to Senate Chambers, Room 262, EITC on Ft. Garry campus with attendees at each site able to ask questions.

We are phasing in the transition to the new FHS. Effective April 8, we are launching the verbal and electronic use of the new College and Faculty of Health Sciences names. As of this date, all faculty, staff and administrators’ electronic signatures are to reflect the new structure. Click here for standardized FHS signature guidelines.

We welcome your feedback.
What do you think of the new Faculty of Health Sciences?