“Moe’s government likes to pretend they have Canada’s most aggressive physician recruitment strategy, but the numbers don’t lie,” said Carla Beck, Saskatchewan NDP Leader.
“After nearly two decades of these guys in power, our health system is in worse shape than ever, and they are out of ideas to fix it. It’s no wonder that rural emergency rooms are closing, urban emergency rooms are bursting at the seams, and more people can’t get a family doctor.”
CIHI’s latest Health Workforce in Canada report reveals that, between 2020-24, the number of family physicians working in Saskatchewan has dropped by 5.2 per 100,000 population – a shocking trend consistent with recent figures from Angus Reid that rank Saskatchewan as worst in Canada for primary care access.
The Sask. Party continues to promise that every resident will have access to a family doctor by 2028, even as evidence mounts to the contrary.
The number of specialist physicians per 100,000 population is also stagnating, and the proportion of specialists over the age of 65 is increasing, indicating that Saskatchewan’s specialist workforce is aging and approaching retirement.
And, as mental health challenges continue to rise, the number of registered psychiatric nurses has remained static.
“These numbers tell a story,” said Meara Conway, Shadow Minister for Health. “They tell the story of a government that has no plan — a government that has made one wrong move after another and left us worse off than ever. Healthcare is buckling under the weight of a government that has failed to confront challenges head-on, ignored every warning sign, and doubled down on one bad decision after another.
“Now faced with the results of their own record, this government will promise anything just to stay to power, even when it’s clear they have no plan,” added Conway.
Beck added: “After nearly two decades of Scott Moe and the Sask. Party, it’s clear that no amount of government spin will change the ending. The time has come for big, bold change, so we can get back to delivering the kind of healthcare people in Saskatchewan can rely on — and that’s exactly what our government will deliver.”
Carla Beck’s team is consulting broadly on improvements to Saskatchewan healthcare — people can get involved at YourCareYourSay.ca.
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