REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Deputy Leader Nicole Sarauer introduced local healthcare workers from Regina, Broadview, and Yorkton calling on the Sask. Party government to address the issue of chronic short-staffing in Saskatchewan healthcare - an issue long before COVID - and develop a comprehensive health staffing strategy to deal with the issue of retention and recruitment.
“This has been a long-standing issue in Saskatchewan and the failure of this Sask. Party government to address it only exacerbated the problem during the pandemic,” said Sarauer.
“Healthcare workers in this province feel abandoned by their government, a government which has asked them to do more and more at their jobs, while failing to do their own by being proactive in their COVID policies and measures. The last twenty months have been a real slap in the face.”
The pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge for healthcare workers across Saskatchewan, which after almost two years is taking a significant toll on staff. Short-staffing has amplified that toll, with most in healthcare consistently working short, being denied holidays and being repeatedly called to come into work on days off. This has cratered morale, with many in the field frustrated with the lack of action and rhetoric coming from the Sask. Party government.
“The government needs to get serious about addressing a staffing crisis that has plagued Saskatchewan’s health and long-term care systems for over a decade,” said Bashir Jalloh, President of CUPE 5430. “Some people thought the premier was finally acknowledging the staffing problem in the system when he promised to hire 300 additional CCAs during the 2020 election campaign but that commitment was watered down to 108 positions in the last budget. We know how to solve the crisis in health care staffing, and the government of Saskatchewan has the tools: Market supplements, better wages, and full-time permanent jobs.”
This is a challenge that requires a whole of government response and the Official Opposition is calling on the government to sit down with healthcare professionals to create a comprehensive health staffing strategy to retain current staff and implement a plan to persistently recruit new workers.
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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.