Beck, community condemn lack of transparency around Shellbrook hospital acute bed closures

SHELLBROOK - Today, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck was joined by healthcare workers and concerned community members at the Shellbrook Hospital in Premier Moe’s riding to address service closures and their not being made public by the SHA.

“Health care workers from Shellbrook have joined me in front of the hospital because they feel this government is refusing to admit that our health system is in crisis,” said Beck. “If the premier can find time to fly to New York on the taxpayer’s dime, there’s no excuse for him to ignore the concerns of healthcare workers and the obstacles to their retention in his own backyard.”

Shellbrook’s hospital is the only acute care facility serving a region already compromised by repeated closures of emergency services in neighbouring Spiritwood. Since May 20th, ten of Shellbrook’s twenty acute care beds have been closed. Staffing shortages are also limiting lab, x-ray and diagnostic imaging services. These closures were not reported on the SHA website, as is government policy. Service disruptions and bed closures have become a regular occurrence for small urban and rural communities throughout Saskatchewan under the Sask. Party government.

“We are in the midst of a recruitment and retention crisis in rural Saskatchewan. Unless steps are taken to improve working conditions in health care, I am afraid for the future of care in Shellbrook,” said Sharon Paul, CUPE General Vice President for the Region. “I am afraid for my family members who live in the service area. Where will they go when these beds are filled? What will happen when they need lab tests, and samples have to be sent to Saskatoon? What will happen when they need an x-ray and we have no x-ray techs? These are questions being faced by health care workers across the province.”

-30-

Latest posts

SASKATOON DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY ON DATA CENTRES AS GOVERNMENT FAILS TO ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS

SASKATOON — Saskatchewan people have questions about the growing number of proposed data centres in the province, and Carla Beck‘s team is making sure they have an opportunity to be heard.
Beck’s team hosted a public data centre open house in Saskatoon on Wednesday evening to hear directly from residents about their concerns, including the potential impacts on electricity, water, land use, the environment, jobs and the long-term costs and benefits to Saskatchewan communities.

SCOTT MOE’S PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTER WEGER CAUGHT LYING ON THE RECORD ABOUT SHOCKING WILDFIRE REPORT

Enough Is Enough — Scott Moe Needs To Fire His Incompetent Public Safety Replacement Minister
SASKATOON – Scathing new documents show the Sask. Party government lying to people of the North who lost so much during last year’s devastating wildfire season. The lies are just the latest in a series of failures, cover ups and scandals concerning Scott Moe’s government’s horrific preparation, response and review of the disaster that saw hundreds of homes and businesses burnt to the ground.

LUXURY JET SCANDAL TAKES OFF AS WEEDMARK REFUSES TO PRODUCE RECEIPTS

Second Luxury Jet Video Emerges Showing Scott Moe’s Out-Of-Touch Sask. Party MLA Using Lavish Private Jets To Perform Government Business
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is demanding that Scott Moe’s MLA for Moosomin-Montmartre reveal how many times he has used luxury private jets while performing government duties.

SCOTT MOE’S REFUSAL TO PROVIDE RELIEF KEEPS SMALL BUSINESSES UNDER WATER

Retail Sales Growth In Saskatchewan Dead-Last, Financial Anxiety For Consumers Highest In Canada
SASKATOON - Carla Beck’s team is standing with a Saskatoon small business owner, calling out Scott Moe for refusing to provide any relief despite sky-high costs, which will only be made worse by new tariffs.

NDP Caucus Office