Despite continued promises from the Sask. Party, surgery wait times in Saskatchewan have been getting longer, and as a result of the recent Sask. Party budget, health regions have warned that they will only get longer.
“It’s unacceptable to have anyone wait longer and longer for surgeries while no solutions, just cuts, are being presented by the Sask. Party,” said NDP Health Critic Danielle Chartier. “Surgery wait times have been going in the wrong direction for the last two years and for too long, the Sask. Party has hidden behind a broken promise – that provides no comfort to the many who are still waiting.”
According to the government’s statistics, in the last two years, five times as many people are waiting longer than three months for their surgery and there are seven times more people waiting longer than six months for their surgery. Now, close to 10,000 people are waiting longer than three months for their surgery – with some waiting much longer.
Many health regions are facing shortfalls because of the Sask. Party budget, and because of that, they are concerned it will have a negative effect on surgery wait times.
“This is not a blip that can just be ignored, this is a concerning trend,” Chartier said. “Two years of rising wait times isn’t fair or acceptable to those waiting while in pain. It’s long past time for this government to acknowledge the reality that they are failing these people.”
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