Sask. Party must fix chronic understaffing in hospitals and health centres: NDP

As the Sask. Party continues to ignore the growing crisis in access to health care in rural Saskatchewan, nurses at the Davidson Health Centre are speaking out about low staffing levels that are leaving them feeling “desperate” and unable to properly do their jobs.

The cuts have resulted in only ever having one Registered Nurse on shift and responsible for 38 long term and acute care beds, as well as an emergency department.

“Understaffing in hospitals and health facilities has become a growing trend that the Sask. Party is not only ignoring but actually making worse,” said NDP Health Critic Danielle Chartier. “When the government refuses to give nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals the support they need it’s patients – our parents, neighbours, sons and daughters – who pay the price.”

According the 2016 Saskatchewan Union of Nurses survey of their close to 1,500 members from across the province, over 85% identified times patients had been put at risk due to short-staffing; and, 45% of those said that this occurs “frequently.”

“From Assiniboia to Regina, Preeceville to Saskatoon, and Prince Albert to La Ronge, health centres across the province have seen their services disrupted, clawed back, or cut due to a lack of staff,” Chartier said. “The Sask. Party needs to take hospital and health centre understaffing seriously, and they need to bring a plan forward to ensure that everyone in this province has access to quality healthcare.”

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