The NDP says the Sask. Party needs to address the issues that are leading to overcrowding and hallway medicine. Since Angela McLean, who spent five days in a Pasqua Hospital hallway waiting for a room, shared her stories, others have begun to come forward to voice their concerns. The latest is an emergency room nurse who describes the Emergency Room as “a very stressful and unsafe place to work that recycles staff faster than bottles at SARCAN.”
“Under this government’s watch, long wait times and hallway medicine have become the norm in our ERs,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “At the General Hospital, we’ve been told that rooms 29, 30 and 31 are not rooms — they’re spaces in the hall. This failure to ensure that patients get the care they need is letting people down.”
The nurse reached out to the NDP Opposition this week in response to comments from the Minister and said that hallway medicine “happens daily.”
The NDP caucus also obtained a redacted a memo that the Saskatchewan Health Authority provided to staff at the Regina General Hospital. The memo indicated that emergency department staff turnover at the Regina General and Regina Pasqua Hospitals has risen sharply since the SHA was formed.
The memo says the emergency department staff out-migration rate was 55 percent at the Pasqua Hospital and 40 percent at the General Hospital, compared to 35 percent at the former RQHR. It also reports that medication and treatment errors have become more common as a result of high turnover and “staff being overwhelmed.”
“Instead of dealing with the outbreak of crystal meth on our streets and providing enough long-term beds, we’re seeing cutbacks and inaction,” said NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat. “We need a government willing to put people first by addressing the issues that are putting increased strains on our Emergency Rooms.”
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.