Sask. Party Offers No Solutions To Keep Rural Hospitals Open Over Holidays, Ease Backlog In Cities
REGINA – Chaos in Saskatchewan healthcare will continue right through Christmas as public reporting Tuesday identified 10 rural emergency room closures across the province — and Scott Moe and the Sask. Party are nowhere to be found.
“Last week, we saw horrifying evidence of overcrowding in hospitals in Saskatchewan’s four largest cities — wait times for proper care of three full days or longer — and it’s clear that the situation in rural Saskatchewan is no better, as many hospitals aren’t even open for patients,” said Jared Clarke, Saskatchewan NDP Rural & Remote Health Shadow Minister. “It’s clear healthcare here is in worse shape than it’s ever been.
“I hope Scott Moe and his Health Minister are enjoying their holidays as there is going to be little thought of celebration or relaxation on the frontlines in Saskatchewan’s overrun healthcare system over the holidays.”
Emergency rooms in Davidson, Hudson Bay, Outlook, Oxbow and Spiritwood were closed for much of the day Tuesday, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, while the facilities in Leader and Melville were due to be closed for all of Christmas Eve and reopen Christmas Day. Closures of the emergency rooms in Kamsack, Wilkie and Wolseley have been extended over much longer periods.
“Basically, it’s the most terrifying version of a guessing game out there,” Clarke said. “I fear for patients who show up this Christmas needing emergency care to find a closed sign. The Sask. Party thinks providing a once-a-day update on these closures is sufficient — but, clearly, it’s not. In a medical emergency, seconds can be the difference between life and death.”
The Regina Urgent Care Centre will also be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Clarke has a bill before the Legislature requiring real-time updates on emergency room closures; however, the Sask. Party has tried to work around it to give the appearance of fixing rural healthcare by imposing a policy that would see a rural emergency room kept open if there is just a single registered nurse available onsite. Many emergency rooms are operating without a physician physically onsite as well — something else that goes unreported.
The Saskatchewan NDP continues to consult on big, bold changes needed to get healthcare in the province out of last place. Everyone in the province is welcome to provide input or submit their ideas at YourCareYourSay.ca.
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