Fran Forsberg had heard how bad the state of emergency rooms was but didn’t understand the crisis until she experienced it herself
SASKATOON – Following hours spent in a Saskatoon emergency room, Fran Forsberg was shocked at the current level of care and chaos in Saskatchewan healthcare. She joined Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister of Health Vicki Mowat to raise alarms, call for change and issue a blunt challenge to Premier Scott Moe and Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill.
“We’ve all heard the stories --but until you see with your own eyes just how bad the Sask. Party has made our healthcare, frankly it’s really hard to understand the true state we’re in,” said Mowat.
“If you visit your local ER, you shouldn’t have to schedule eight-plus hours just to finally see a doctor. You shouldn’t have to worry about your privacy or sitting on a bed in a hallway in your most vulnerable moments.
“We need to be focused on the future of healthcare and the future of our province. That means healthcare when and where you need it. Saskatchewan people deserve nothing less.”
Forsberg attended the Royal University Hospital Emergency Department on two separate occasions over the last couple of weeks with a youth needing care. While waiting over eight hours, she witnessed some shocking instances in which patients were left in the waiting room without care due to the lack of resources of Saskatchewan’s healthcare system:
Saskatoon emergency rooms are in crisis, with emergency rooms frequently surging to over 350 per cent capacity in recent months. The pressure has resulted in emergency room closures during critical hours and overcrowding leading to what healthcare workers have described as “dangerous conditions.”
Fran had heard about the state of health care, but she was shocked to see the actual condition. Following her experience, Fran has a challenge – on behalf of every Saskatchewan patient who has faced healthcare challenges – for Premier Moe and Sask. Party Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill.
“It’s shocking. I never knew how bad it really was,” said Forsberg. “And all I hear from our Sask. Party government is that they think they’re doing a great job. They clearly have no idea what’s going on.
“Premier Moe and our Health Minister need to spend eight or more hours in our emergency rooms, then they’ll understand the crisis we’re in.
In fact, I’d challenge any Sask. Party MLA who thinks they’re doing a good job to spend more than eight hours in our emergency rooms. The healthcare workers are doing their best but this is a crisis.”
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