The Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) is proceeding with cuts to meet the provincial government mandate to reduce non-union management positions by 15 per cent.

IERHA released a statement saying 19 positions have been downsized through retirements, attrition and position deletions. Ten staff members in affected positions were met with and informed of job losses over the past two days.

“Identifying positions for deletion was not easy. Interlake-Eastern’s senior leadership team members took the time they required to identify a position deletion plan that would minimize effects on managers and staff while maintaining focus on improved patient care and long-term sustainability of the health system. Interlake-Eastern has worked to ensure that the position deletions will not affect the delivery of care,” says IERHA CEO Ron Van Denakker in a statement.

Interlake-Eastern is the latest RHA to announce management cuts in accordance with the province's cost-savings mandate. Southern Health-Sante Sud laid off 19 employees earlier this week for estimated annual savings of $1.1-million; and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority trimmed 132 positions for savings of about $15-million per year.

A request to IERHA to provide an estimate of cost-savings achieved through staffing reductions was not returned.