Net decrease of 600 healthcare jobs in 2021 under Scott Moe
Today, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck responded to the Provincial Auditor’s 2022 Report on healthcare staffing that condemned Scott Moe’s short-sighted Health Human Action Resource Plan.
“The Provincial Auditor confirmed what doctors and nurses have been saying for years. Scott Moe’s short-sighted health plan is years late and half-baked,” said Beck. “The Auditor confirmed that the Sask. Party has essentially no strategy to retain the doctors and nurses already here. Last year, 600 more SHA staff left than were hired, and the Sask. Party didn’t even conduct exit interviews to determine why.”
Scott Moe’s Sask Party government only has a plan in place to hire 1,000 healthcare workers province-wide. The Auditor says more than 700 healthcare workers are needed in Prince Albert, Meadow Lake and La Ronge alone. Even if the Sask. Party’s health plan is successful, the SHA still anticipates that the province will be short 840 continuing care assistants and 520 registered nurses over the next five years.
“I share the Auditor’s concern that Scott Moe may take healthcare workers from other communities to fill the huge gap in Prince Albert, Meadow Lake and La Ronge, closing more rural hospitals permanently,” said Beck. “The Sask. Party has been in power for 15 years - they alone are responsible for the fact that we’re so short staffed and without a plan to get things back on track.”
The Official Opposition called on Scott Moe’s Sask. Party government to implement all of the Provincial Auditor’s recommendations.
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Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.