Hospitals in Saskatchewan are dealing with severe overcrowding and shortened emergency room hours.
Saskatoon City Hospital’s emergency department has had its hours cut by five hours daily, a move that critics say leaves patients vulnerable when urgent care is needed around the clock.
Sask NDP Shadow Health Minister Vicki Mowat says the cuts reflect a deeper problem.
“We used to lead the nation in healthcare,” said Mowat.
“Now, we’re ranked last in Canada for healthcare worker recruitment and retention.”
Mowat points to increased strain on medical staff, who have seen few wage increases in recent years.
She argues that more doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals are required to deal with growing demand.
In Regina, overcrowding at the Regina General Hospital reached a critical level, where staff invoked Code Orange strategies typically used for mass-casualty events.
Hallways were filled with recliner chairs and temporary beds, and additional staff were called in to handle the surge.
Rural and primary healthcare sites were also considered to help ease the pressure.
Mowat believes these measures highlight the need for stronger long-term solutions, claiming that 17 years of provincial mismanagement have eroded the healthcare system.
Sask NDP Shadow Rural and Remote Health Minister Meara Conway says the government’s Capacity Pressure Action Plan has not solved the crisis.
“We need more doctors, more nurses, more lab techs, more healthcare workers, not more bureaucracy,” said Conway.
“All the Sask Party has done is beef up the bureaucracy and put band-aid solutions on problems.”
Critics contend that the Sask Party’s approach has left patients waiting longer in emergency rooms.
Sask NDP wants the healthcare system to return to 24/7 service at Saskatoon City Hospital.
