The Government of Saskatchewan announced Thursday that a second intake for Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Contracts has succeeded in launching 26 new contracts across the province which includes a new nurse practitioner who will establish her practice by joining the Martensville Collective Health and Wellness Clinic.

The government says in Martensville the new Nurse Practitioner will provide primary care access to at least 800 patients.

In Martensville Thursday morning Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said, “Providing Saskatchewan families with increased access to primary health care services continues to be an important part of our Patients First Health Care Plan by ensuring the right care is available in the right place and as close to home as possible.”

Nurse Practitioners can assess, diagnose, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications and provide ongoing patient care, helping improve access to timely care with the goal of reducing pressure on other areas of the health care system.

A third intake opened for Nurse Practitioners to apply for contracts on July 27 and will close on August 23.

Meanwhile, the NDP says the province’s announcement comes one day after Martensville lost one of its “precious few community doctors.” In a news release Nathaniel Teed, Shadow Minister for Labour said Martensville is losing a family doctor and hundreds of thousands of people across Saskatchewan have no access to primary care.

Last week, CUPE 5430, who represents nearly 14,000 healthcare workers across the province, announced that they would be holding a strike vote in September. They are in year three of trying to negotiate a new contract.