Andrew Will becomes Sask. Health Authority's next permanent CEO

Andrew Will has been appointed as the Saskatchewan Health Authority's (SHA's) next chief executive officer after serving on an interim basis for 10 months.

The organization's board of directors approved Will's appointment on Thursday.

He had been interim CEO since December 2021, and previously held the position of vice president, information, infrastructure and support.

"I am humbled to continue to serve with them in this new role," Will said in a news release. "As CEO, it will be my priority to strengthen the ability of our physicians and staff to ensure every resident of Saskatchewan has access to the right care, from the right provider, at the right time, as close to home as possible."

The job posting attracted applications from across Canada and abroad, with the authority's board of directors leading the recruitment process, according to the SHA.

"[Will's]passion for building a system that works for every person in every corner of our province is combined with decades of experience in health care," said SHA board chair Arlene Wiks, in a news release.

The resignation of Scott Livingstone

Scott Livingstone had held the position of SHA CEO until he resigned in December 2021.

The SHA did not comment further on Livingstone's decision at the time.

Livingstone's messaging during the pandemic was sometimes at odds with the government's.

In October, Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman said the province was not asking the federal government for assistance because Saskatchewan's health-care system had enough workers to handle its load of patients with and without COVID-19.

That statement came only a day after Livingstone said the system was still under "significant pressures" because of the flood of COVID-19 patients into Saskatchewan hospitals.

Merriman commented on Livingstone's departure at the legislature, saying the former CEO "decided he no longer wanted to work at the SHA."

Merriman said he was a little surprised by Livingstone's departure, but thanked him for his service.

Premier Scott Moe said last year that Livingstone's resignation was not related to his messaging on COVID-19 and that the government did not play a role in the decision.Moe saidit was a "staffing matter" within the SHA.