Another leaked SHA memo shows major ICU closure despite lack of public notice

Communities and local healthcare workers now forced to create Facebook pages to inform residents of closures

REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck and Rural and Remote Health Critic Matt Love released a newly leaked SHA memo showing that the Battlefords Union Hospital ICU has been closed for weeks. They condemned the government for their continued lack of transparency on hospital closures, forcing communities and healthcare workers across Saskatchewan to create Facebook groups and pages to inform local residents of community closures

“The Sask. Party has broken our healthcare system and they’re doing everything they can to hide their failures from the people of Saskatchewan,” said Beck. “It’s time to admit that their recruitment plan is failing. They aren’t working with healthcare workers, they aren’t working with local leaders, and communities across the province are paying the price.”

The Official Opposition released another leaked SHA memo which shows that the Battlefords Union Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit was shut down on July 13 and will remain closed until August 3rd. This closure will mean that anyone in need of intensive care will have to be transported to another facility during this time.

This is the latest leaked SHA memo the Official Opposition has received for healthcare workers frustrated that the Sask. Party government is hiding key healthcare information from the public

“We’re now regularly getting leaked information from frontline healthcare workers across the province. They hear what this Sask. Party government is saying in the media and healthcare workers know this Health Minister isn’t being transparent or honest. They’re fed up,” said Love. “You can’t fix a problem if you aren’t willing to admit it exists. Rather than working to fix these problems, the Sask. Party is spending more time working to cover them up from the public.”

The Battlefords ICU closure is the latest healthcare closure to not be listed on the SHA’s service disruptions page. In fact, many rural residents are notified of these disruptions through community-run Facebook groups or pages, such as the Midway Ambulance Ltd. page which announced the July ER closures for the hospitals in Wynyard and Wadena.

“This is healthcare in Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan. There’s no excuse for this. People shouldn’t have to rely on their community Facebook page during an emergency for information that should be publicly posted on the SHA website,” said Beck. “It’s clear that Scott Moe and the Sask. Party just aren’t interested in doing the job. After 17 years of the Sask. Party, the only way we can fix healthcare in Saskatchewan is a change in government.”

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