The documents, released by the Official Opposition Wednesday, also indicate some patients are waiting more than three days for care once arriving at the hospital — one report from Regina General said the wait was a full 91 hours.
“It’s clear that healthcare in Saskatchewan is worse than it’s ever been,” said Meara Conway, Saskatchewan NDP Health Shadow Minister. “We know that the holiday season is often incredibly taxing on our hospitals. These tracking reports are jarring and I fear the worst may be yet to come.
“And with all of this chaos and stress on frontline workers and people needing care, where is Scott Moe and his Health Minister? Clearly, not doing their jobs. They’ve downplayed concerns about the healthcare crisis for years while people suffer.”
The tracking documents, formally called “Provincial Overcapacity Safety Risk Level Report,” cover Sunday to Tuesday (Dec. 14-16).
On Sunday, the Regina General Emergency Department was reported as being at a “very high safety risk,” was short medical care beds and had patient wait times of nearly 70 hours. The Regina Pasqua Hospital, meanwhile, was reported as having a “high safety risk,” was short on intensive care unit beds and reporting wait times of 84 hours for care. The Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert also reported being at a “very high safety risk” and was short nine medical care beds and the same condition was reported at the Riverside Health Complex in Turtleford. The Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital in Moose Jaw was a a “high safety risk” and reporting wait times of 33 hours for care.
On Monday, Regina General, Victoria General and Riverside remained at a “very high safety risk” and the F.H. Wigmore’s challenges were escalated to the same condition as wait times exceeded 57 hours and the hospital was 116 per cent capacity. The same serious condition was also reported at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon and the Saskatoon City Hospital was short 10 medical care beds.
Yesterday, the situation became even worse as the five hospitals at a “very high safety risk” remained at that status and Saskatoon’s St. Paul’s Hospital was also reported in that critical state. Wait times across the six emergency departments operating 24-7 in Saskatchewan’s four largest cities were as follows:
· Regina General: 91 hours
· Royal University: 86 hours
· Dr. F.H. Wigmore: 73 hours
· St. Paul’s: 61 hours
· Pasqua: 42 hours
· Victoria: 41 hours
“Ninety-one hours for medical care is absolutely shocking,” Conway said. “I can’t imagine the pain, agony and frustration for people in those waiting rooms.
“Scott Moe and Jeremy Cockrill don’t get to weasel out of this — these documents are compiled by the very health authority they’ve stacked at the senior levels with their friends and insiders.
“No more downplaying, no more political games, they must come forward today with a real plan to get our emergency rooms out of this crisis over the Christmas holidays. People in Saskatchewan deserve so much better than this.”
The Saskatchewan NDP continues to consult on big, bold changes needed to get healthcare in the province out of last place. Everyone in the province is welcome to provide input or submit their ideas at YourCareYourSay.ca.
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