The Saskatchewan’s Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health. has issued a strong statement condemning the Saskatchewan government’s handling of healthcare in west-central Saskatchewan, pointing to a growing number of service closures and staffing shortages that are putting patient safety at risk.
“The people of Saskatchewan, their health and well-being, are being taken for granted by this Sask. Party government,” said Vicki Mowat, Shadow Minister for Health. “The longer the Sask. Party is in power, the further our friends and family will have to drive for basic healthcare.”
In Lloydminster, a man involved in a car accident was rerouted to North Battleford for emergency care due to a CT scan closure—only to find that the CT scanner there was also closed. He tragically died before receiving the necessary care.
Emergency services at the Wilkie and District Health Centre have been closed for over three years, and in Kerrobert, local ambulance services are spotty due to EMS staffing shortages. Despite pulling resources from Kindersley, Unity, and even Alberta, wait times continue to rise, putting lives at risk.
Healthcare Disruptions Across the Region
A list of recent service closures obtained via a freedom of information request highlights the widespread nature of the issue:
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Biggar & District Health Centre experienced multiple emergency room closures, including on February 26-27, 2024, and January 18-19, 2024. Diagnostic imaging services were also unavailable from January 26-30, 2024.
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Kerrobert Health Centre faced acute care emergency room closures from November 7-10, 2023, and repeated disruptions in emergency stabilization services throughout 2022 and 2023.
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Kindersley & District Health Centre saw obstetrical services closed from January 5-8, 2024, and laboratory services were unavailable multiple times, including from February 28-March 1, 2024.
The Saskatchewan NDP and local patient advocates are calling out local Sask. Party MLAs Kim Gartner, James Thorsteinson, and Colleen Young for failing to deliver change and allowing their constituents to go without vital healthcare services.
“We’ve seen zero results from the local Sask. Party MLAs. They’re putting party politics ahead of the people who elected them,” said Meara Conway, Rural and Remote Health Shadow Minister. “Gartner, Thorsteinson, and Young need to stand up to Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill. Drive down the same roads your constituents take to North Battleford for care—and do your jobs.”
Kristine Weisbeck, a Lloydminster patient advocate and first responder, emphasized the challenges facing healthcare in her community. “Healthcare in Lloydminster is encountering considerable difficulties stemming from resource shortages across various sectors, most notably insufficient staffing that has led to the unavailability of the CT scanner, which the community contributed to by covering half of its cost.”
Weisbeck added that her attempts to raise concerns with local MLA Colleen Young have been met with limited responses. “My efforts to express my worries regarding these urgent issues to our local MLA have not been very fruitful, as I have only received a response indicating that she requires additional time to address them.”
The NDP’s report paints a dire picture of the healthcare landscape in west-central Saskatchewan, with closures and service disruptions becoming increasingly common. As the provincial government faces mounting criticism, the people of Saskatchewan continue to grapple with the consequences of these healthcare failures.
In response to an interview request from West Central Online about the growing concerns, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill and Lori Carr, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health, issued a joint statement via email addressing the issues.
“As the Ministers responsible for health care in Saskatchewan, we are committed to engaging with residents and health care professionals to ensure quality care across the province. We recognize the challenges within the system and are actively working to address them.
Our government’s focus is on strengthening primary care, recruiting and retaining health care professionals, reducing surgical wait times, and expanding mental health and addictions services. This is why we maintain ongoing engagement with communities and health care professionals across the province. In the last 30 days, collectively we have spoken with the Town of Wilkie, Town of Oxbow, Rural Municipality of Enniskillen, Grenfell District Health Foundation, Saskatchewan Medical Association, Saskatchewan College of Family Physicians, Association of Professional Nurses of Saskatchewan, SEIU-West, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, ALS Society of Saskatchewan, Hope’s Home, and many others.
We remain committed to stabilizing and strengthening health care across Saskatchewan. Collaboration with health care professionals is essential, and we will continue working together to find practical solutions. Our priority is to ensure that patients receive high-quality, accessible health care for all Saskatchewan residents.”
– Jeremy Cockrill, Minister of Health and MLA for the Battlefords
Lori Carr, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health and MLA for Estevan-Big Muddy
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