SASK. PARTY HIDES DEPTHS OF HEALTHCARE FAILURE AS PEOPLE DENIED CARE ACROSS PROVINCE

Rampant Rural Emergency Room Closures and Zero Transparency from Moe, Cockrill, Carr

REGINA – The Sask. Party is actively covering up the depths of its failure to provide critical healthcare to people across the province.

During Health Estimates, held March 31, Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill and Minister of Mental Health & Addictions Lori Carr committed to providing public data on healthcare service disruptions, vacant positions in several key areas, and more. Now, nearly four months later, not a thing has been provided or a reason given for the delay.

“This is a Sask. Party Government that not only fails to provide healthcare every hour of every day, but they also believe they’re accountable to no one,” said Meara Conway, Saskatchewan NDP Health Shadow Minister.

“These ministers looked me in the eye and promised key information on the state of healthcare. Now, four months later, I haven’t received a thing. Does the word of a Sask. Party minister mean nothing?

“We can’t get to work fixing healthcare for the future when we have a government putting up roadblock after roadblock.”

The service disruptions data is being withheld even as the Saskatchewan NDP has exposed in recent weeks widespread emergency room and medical lab closures in rural communities, sometimes for weeks at a time. Many of the closures have been posted to local municipal government Facebook pages because the Sask. Party refuses to notify the public of emergency room closures, despite patients potentially turning up under life-and-death circumstances.

In other instances, emergency rooms have remained open but with only a “virtual physician” — that is, a doctor administering emergency care through a webcam from another location.

“Virtual medicine can work in some instances, but certainly not in an emergency room,” Conway said.

Cockrill committed to providing the data at the March 31 estimates. Conway’s office has since sent follow-up letters on May 7 and June 5 that have gone unanswered.

As well, Conway sought a full accounting of vacant healthcare positions, both on the frontlines in hospitals and in critical areas, such as mental health and addictions. Again, no information has been provided despite Cockrill and Minister Lori Carr committing to providing it.

Conway also sought — and the Sask. Party committed to providing — a full list of companies working to improve the Sask. Party’s failed AIMS human resources and payroll system.

“Nothing has been provided,” Conway said. “After 18 years, the Sask. Party is so arrogant, so entitled and so out-of-touch that they won’t even acknowledge the crisis in healthcare or provide information that’s critical to fixing it. The people of Saskatchewan are desperate for solutions to their red-lining healthcare system so we can build the future we deserve.”

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