REGINA URGENT CARE CENTRE AT CAPACITY, TURNING PATIENTS AWAY ‘ALMOST DAILY’

Sask. Party Plans More Centres, But Can’t Even Staff the Existing One
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team has learned the Regina Urgent Care Centre is turning away people desperate for healthcare “almost daily” after being alerted to the ongoing problems with the facility by patients.

On Sunday, a patient reported the centre was at capacity and had been for hours. Beck’s team phoned the centre to confirm the allegation and was told the capacity issue was real and an ongoing occurrence “almost daily.”

"The Regina Urgent Care Centre was supposed to be proof that Scott Moe was fixing healthcare," Conway said. "Instead, it has become proof that you can't fix healthcare by cutting ribbons if you don't have a plan to staff the building."

When the Urgent Care Centre was announced, Saskatchewan people were promised a facility that would eventually provide 24/7 urgent care. Instead, it continues to operate from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on multiple occasions — especially on the weekends — has been forced to reduce its hours even further because of physician shortages.

"Pouring concrete and cutting ribbons was never the hard part," Conway said. "The hard part was recruiting and retaining the doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals needed to provide the care Saskatchewan people were promised. Scott Moe never had a plan for that."

Recently, Beck’s team found a new request for proposals for another Urgent Care Centre, this time to be put inside the hospital.

"This government is more focused on creating the appearance of fixing healthcare than actually fixing healthcare," Conway said. "Healthcare isn't measured by how many centres you can establish — or pretend to establish. It's measured by whether people can get care when they need it."

Conway argues the lack of plan has actually weakened the system overall.

“Because there was zero plan to staff the Urgent Care Centre, it is drawing emergency physicians away from already strained ERs and family doctors away from primary care. It’s weakening the overall system and even after all that, the Centre is still operating far short of its promised hours and turning people away on a daily basis. This isn’t a solution – it's a mess.”

Carla Beck's team continues to call on the Sask. Party to focus on retaining healthcare workers, improving working conditions and ensuring healthcare facilities are properly staffed before making promises they cannot keep.

"Saskatchewan people deserve a healthcare system they can count on," Conway said. "After nearly two decades in government, Scott Moe and the Sask. Party have had their chance. Saskatchewan families deserve a government that delivers results instead of excuses and that’s exactly what Carla Beck’s team will do. It’s time for change.”

Beck’s team continues the largest healthcare consultation in a generation and has recently released a roadmap for big, bold change in healthcare. Saskatchewan people are welcome to offer their ideas and feedback at YourCareYourSay.ca.

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