SASK. PARTY FAILS TO KEEP RURAL EMERGENCY ROOMS OPEN

Hundreds Of ER Closures In 2024, Healthcare Has Never Been Worse in Saskatchewan

SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan NDP is demanding action to reopen closed emergency rooms in 10 rural communities and calling out the Health Minister to deliver a plan that will keep them open for good.

On Monday, the Sask. Party began its daily public reporting of closed emergency rooms, identifying seven that were closed. On Tuesday, the number had increased to 10, including new closures in Biggar, Broadview, Hudson Bay, Outlook, Radville, Redvers and Wolseley.

‎

As well, according to the Saskatchewan Health Agency’s own online reporting, the emergency room in Kipling has been closed since Friday, the emergency room in Kamsack has been on reduced hours dating back to November 27, 2023, and the emergency room in Wilkie has been closed since June 21, 2021.

‎

“It’s clear the Sask. Party has no plan to reopen Wilkie’s emergency room,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Associate Shadow Health Minister. “This public reporting of emergency room closures confirms what we’ve known for years — the Sask. Party is failing rural Saskatchewan; they’ve driven healthcare to dead-last in Canada and can’t be trusted to fix it.”

‎

The Saskatchewan NDP has documented hundreds of emergency room closures in 2024 alone across dozens and dozens of rural communities. The Sask. Party government finally surrendered to public pressure to at least report emergency room closures just as the Official Opposition brought forward legislation requiring such updates.

‎

“Reporting is one thing, actually fixing rural healthcare is a whole different matter,” Jorgenson said. “We see zero evidence that things are improving on the frontlines in our hospitals and we see damning new developments every day that indicate things have never been worse.

‎

“Saskatchewan is the birthplace of Medicare and we don’t have to settle for this Sask. Party and its sorry excuse for delivering healthcare. We can change the government and get down to work to fix healthcare right across rural Saskatchewan.”

‎

The Saskatchewan NDP is consulting and developing plans for big bold change in healthcare and people are welcome to provide input at YourCareYourSay.ca.

‎

-30-

Latest posts

NEAR-DECADE OF SASK. PARTY FAILURES LEFT PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY ILL-PREPARED FOR LAST YEAR’S WILDFIRE CRISIS

Scott Moe, Tim McLeod Dodge Accountability Yet Again

SASKATOON – A near-decade of failure to prepare by Scott Moe, his ministers and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency were exposed during last year’s wildfire crisis, says a scathing report that Carla Beck’s team continues to analyze.

SASKATCHEWAN CHILDREN & YOUTH VICTIMIZED BY VIOLENT CRIME HAD CANADA’S HIGHEST RATE OF LATER ENCOUNTERING POLICE

Carla Beck’s Team Calls On Scott Moe, Sask. Party Break Vicious Cycle By Investing In Supports and Intervention For Young Victims

REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is calling on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party to provide significantly more support for child and youth victims of violent crime after a new Statistics Canada study found Saskatchewan had the highest provincial rate in Canada of youth victims later encountering police as accused persons.

SCOTT MOE MUST URGENTLY ADD RESOURCES TO OVERRUN FRONT LINES OF SASKATOON DRUG CRISIS

Saskatoon Fire Report 680 Overdoses In April, More Than 22 Per Day
SASKATOON – Critical first responders continue to urge the provincial government to provide additional support for local organizations working to address Saskatoon’s toxic drug crisis.

SCOTT MOE’S $26-BILLION COAL CATASTROPHE COULD COST SASKATCHEWAN $160M IN ADDITIONAL HEALTHCARE COSTS: REPORT

Pembina Analysis Comes As Medical Experts Across Canada Also Warn About Impacts of Backwards Sask. Party Plan
REGINA – Independent analysis from the Pembina Institute estimates that Scott Moe’s catastrophic $26-billion coal plan could cost Saskatchewan over $100 million in additional healthcare costs.

NDP Caucus Office