SASK. PARTY BUDGET CUTTING HEALTHCARE FUNDING

PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS PAYING THE PRICE OF MISMANAGEMENT

MOOSE JAW - Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Finance Minister Trent Wotherspoon, slammed the Sask. Party for cutting healthcare in this week’s provincial budget and said it people in cities like Moose Jaw that pay the price.

Last year, the Saskatchewan government spent $8.022 billion on health and is now only planning to spend $8.004 billion this coming year, a cut of $17.1 million (page 27).

“These claims being made by the Sask. Party of increasing healthcare spending are a total fantasy,” Wotherspoon said. “It's like saying five minus four is six. A second grader could see through this budget — it’s not worth the paper that it’s printed on.”

Saskatchewan ranks last place in Canada for:

Surgical wait times – Knee replacements (318 days) and hip replacements (232 days)
Hospital wait times – Emergency patients at Saskatoon City Hospital wait 55–68 hours for a bed
Healthcare workforce – Specialist-to-patient ratio (103 per 100,000) and physician-to-patient ratio (second worst, at 221 per 100,000)

Wotherspoon said in Moose Jaw, specifically, the Dr. F. H. Wigmore Regional Hospital has seen constant blackout periods for critical medical services.

“So many people here have been forced to head into Regina for anything close to resembling healthcare,” Wotherspoon said.

“This budget is not focused on the future. After 17 years of Sask. Party waste, mismanagement, scandals, healthcare in Saskatchewan ranks dead last in the country.

“People here in Moose Jaw and right across Saskatchewan deserve healthcare that’s there for them, when and where they need it.”

-30-

Latest posts

BECK’S TEAM SLAMS MOE’S POWER PLAN IN PRINCE ALBERT, PITCHES CHEAPER, HOMEGROWN ALTERNATIVE

Grid And Growth Plan Receiving Positive Feedback All Over Saskatchewan
PRINCE ALBERT — Carla Beck’s team brought her Grid and Growth Plan to Prince Albert today, where people are tired of paying more and getting less from the Sask. Party government's power plan.

CARLA BECK’S TEAM CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY, HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS WITH LACK OF INFORMATION ON REGINA-AREA AI DATA CENTRE

Open House Planned For Next Week, People With Questions Or Concerns Urged To Contact [email protected]
REGINA — Carla Beck’s team is laying out a series of steps it’s taking in response to public concerns, questions and calls for transparency related to the new data centre planned for the RM of Sherwood, just outside of Regina.

BILL PUT FORWARD BY BECK’S TEAM REQUIRING REAL-TIME EMERGENCY ROOM CLOSURE REPORTING PASSES KEY HURDLE

Bill 606 Can Become Law As Early As Next Week
REGINA — Critical legislation put forward by Carla Beck’s team to require real-time reporting of emergency room closures has passed a key hurdle, receiving support from both sides of the aisle on Thursday.

NEW REPORT SHOWS SASK. HAS HIGHEST HOSPITALIZATION RATES FOR VACCINE-PREVENTABLE RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES

CIHI Says Hospitalizations Last Year More Than Double Pre-Pandemic Levels

REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is putting the Sask. Party on blast after a report from the Canadian Institute of Health Information revealed that Saskatchewan had highest rate of hospitalizations among the provinces for vaccine-preventable respiratory illnesses, more than double pre-pandemic levels.