Fanshawe College is among four post secondary institutions getting a big financial boost to help combat a persistent shortage of personal support workers (PSW) in the province.
The South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) announced on Monday it is funding 200 bursaries for PSW students at Fanshawe, Conestoga College, Georgian College, and Lambton College. The combined total of the bursaries being offered is $1-million, with Fanshawe getting $500,000.
"Many changes are coming in our health care system but one thing is certain: high quality professionals are required in support services to make sure we deliver as much care in homes and the community as possible," South West LHIN CEO Renato Discenza said in a statement. "This bursary program is an investment in community care and is very important to the goal of patient-centred care. It upgrades community skills and enhances patients' lives."
Each week, the South West LHIN provides approximately 30,000 PSW visits to over 6,000 patients across seven counties.
Students enrolled in the January 2020 full-time PSW program are eligible to apply for the bursaries. The eight-month program is offered at Fanshawe's six campuses in London, St. Thomas, Woodstock, Simcoe, Clinton, and Kincardine.
"Fanshawe College is very pleased to collaborate with the South West LHIN to address the workforce development challenges that our communities are facing in this field," said Dr. Susan Cluett, dean of the Faculty of Access, Language and Regional Campuses at Fanshawe College. "Personal Support Workers play such an important role in the health care continuum in our communities, and this exceptional investment will help address critical shortages of PSWs available to provide community care."
In addition to the bursaries, the Victorian Order of Nurses, CarePartners, and OneCare have committed to hiring 165 PSW students and pay for their in-school training and work placements in Bruce, Elgin, Grey, Huron, Middlesex, Norfolk, Oxford, and Perth counties.
An awareness campaign to promote careers as PSWs and draw attention to the current shortage in the health care system has also been launched by Fanshawe.