News Release - Health Quality Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 1, 2015
Health Quality Council launches second annual Saskatchewan Change Day
SASKATOON – A provincial campaign that last year generated hundreds of pledges to improve health
care is back.
The 2015 edition of Saskatchewan Change Day, a social movement campaign organized by the
province’s Health Quality Council (HQC), officially kicked off today.
“Saskatchewan Change Day is about the power within each of us to make a difference. We are
encouraging anyone who provides health care, receives health care or who cares about health care to
pledge to make a change for the better,” said Dr. Susan Shaw, HQC’s board chair.
“The theme of Saskatchewan Change Day 2015 is ‘Make Health Better Together.’ Participants can pledge
to do something to improve their own health, the health of their workplace, or the health of the
patients, residents or clients they serve.”
Saskatchewan Change Day 2015 will be celebrated on November 5, 2015. From now until November 5,
people are encouraged to make a pledge on the Change Day website: www.skchangeday.com. The goal
is to receive 2,015 pledges from across the province for Saskatchewan Change Day 2015 – more than
double the goal of 1,000 pledges in 2014, when 1,397 pledges were received. This year, participants are
again encouraged to post their pledges on Twitter, using #2015in2015 or #skchangeday.
“We hope that pledges are shared publicly through social media so that everyone can see, and be
inspired by, the innovative ideas for improvement that people are generating,” said Shaw.
Examples of pledges from the 2014 Saskatchewan Change Day campaign include:
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I pledge to have breakfast with the residents in the long-term care home on my designated
round days.
I pledge to ask one patient every day how their experience was and what we could have done
differently.
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I pledge to say something positive to a co-worker each day.
I pledge to step away from my desk and take a walk every day.
The Change Day social movement originated in the U.K.’s National Health Service, which held its first
Change Day in 2013. The Change Day concept has since spread around the world, including to Australia,
the U.S., Sweden, the Netherlands, Jordan, South Africa, New Zealand and Finland. HQC organized
Canada’s first Change Day campaign in 2014.
“For the first Saskatchewan Change Day in 2014, nearly 1,400 people from across the province entered a
pledge on the website at www.skchangeday.com. It was exciting to see this enthusiasm for positive
change. We want to build on that energy this year,” said Gary Teare, HQC’s acting CEO.
“Change Day complements HQC’s mission of accelerating improvement in health care and making care
better and safer for the people of Saskatchewan. We hope people across the province will join us in
supporting Saskatchewan Change Day 2015. Let’s show the world what we can achieve together.”
-30For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Shannon Boklaschuk, Communications Consultant
Health Quality Council
Tel: 306-668-8810, ext. 112
Email: sboklaschuk@hqc.sk.ca