YORKTON - Today, Official Opposition Health Critic Vicki Mowat joined with health care workers calling for the microbiology services to be reinstated at the Yorkton Hospital.
Despite assurances from Yorkton’s Sask. Party MLA that there was no intention of pulling services out of Yorkton and that the situation would ‘soon be rectified,’ employees have learned that the hospital laboratory has been turned into a break room. This is another blow to regional health services in Yorkton in recent years, including a loss of pediatric services in 2019.
“The Sask. Party government has become shameless in closing rural and regional health services,” said Mowat. “This lab once had microscopes - now it has microwaves.”
Mowat highlighted an all too familiar pattern with Sask Party MLAs taking rural Saskatchewan for granted. “They’ve ignored the needs of this community, all while trying to quietly slash services and good-paying jobs in Yorkton. The jig is up.”
The Yorkton microbiology lab was used to diagnose critical illnesses such as staph infections, sepsis, meningitis, and postoperative infections. Without the lab, it is harder to identify best treatment options for patients and could result in delays in treatment and diagnosis that could be life-threatening.
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Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.