SASKATOON HOSPITALS BURSTING AT THE SEAMS, OPERATING OVERCAPACITY FOR MONTHS: DATA

Your Care, Your Say Project Launched By Carla Beck’s Team Focuses On Accountability, Public Reporting
SASKATOON – St. Paul’s Hospital and Royal University Hospital are bursting at the seams as newly acquired Saskatchewan Health Authority data shows that both Saskatoon hospitals were operating dangerously over capacity for months on end.

“Overcrowding hospitals are signs of a healthcare system on life support after 20 years of Scott Moe and the Sask. Party,” said Carla Beck. “When patients are being treated shoulder-to-shoulder in hallways, it's a clear sign that our healthcare system is bursting at the seams.

“This Premier continues to spend his days buying billboards to tell people healthcare is getting better when it’s not. For the record, a government actually delivering healthcare wouldn’t need flashy advertising campaigns, people would be able to see the results with their own eyes.”

Saskatoon’s St. Paul’s operated at over 107 per cent capacity in November, nearly 111 per cent in December and 114 per cent in January.

Royal University, meanwhile, operated at 113 per cent capacity in November, dipped slightly to just under 109 per cent capacity in December and nearly 113 per cent capacity in January. Beck’s team was not provided more recent figures; however, Keith Jorgenson, Associate Shadow Health Minister, said that’s part of the problem.

“The reality is we’re relying on frontline healthcare workers risking their jobs and Freedom of Information requests to learn of these capacity challenges,” Jorgenson said. “During the Spring Sitting, Scott Moe and his incompetent Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill stood every day and claimed they’re improving healthcare.

“The data tells the exact opposite story. We have a government more focused on hiding the truth than actively fixing it — the first step in solving a problem is admitting there is a problem.”

Beck’s team touted a focus on transparency and public reporting on the state of healthcare in their roadmap to deliver big, bold change in healthcare, released earlier this week at YourCareYourSay.ca.

“This issue goes way beyond stats on a spreadsheet,” Jorgenson said. “This level of overcrowding means patients are often waiting for hours in pain and receiving life-altering healthcare information and services next to complete strangers.”

There is no indication that the Sask. Party will staff up the hospitals and deliver on their election promise as Scott Moe’s bad news budget only increased funding for healthcare by 0.3 per cent.

Jorgenson also been working alongside Rural & Remote Health Shadow Minister Jared Clarke to fight for real-time reporting of emergency room closures, information that can mean the difference between life and death.

Clarke’s Bill 606 to require such reporting was initially supported by Scott Moe and the Sask. Party in the legislature but voted down in later stages of debate. People wanting to support the campaign for real-time reporting can send an email directly to Moe with just a few clicks at ndpcaucus.sk.ca/erclosurenotice

“Scott Moe and Jeremy Cockrill have broken our health care system, and they cannot be trusted to fix it,” said Jorgenson.

“We need big, bold change to get healthcare out of last place.”

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