NDP pledges ER waits of minutes, not hours
The Saskatchewan NDP is gearing up for the election with a campaign promise to cut emergency room wait times.
“New Democrats will deliver shorter ER waits, waits that can be measured in minutes, not hours,” said NDP leader Cam Broten, standing across the street from the Regina General Hospital on Thursday. “Those needing emergency and urgent care will be seen within 15 and 30 minute benchmarks. Those needing less urgent care will be seen within an hour.”
If elected, the NDP plan is to hire 35 nurse practitioners to work in ERs to treat patients presenting with less urgent health issues under a fast track system.
“By having a fast track option within emergency rooms, having nurse practitioners working alongside physicians and the entire team, it provides that release of a lot of the pressure that emergency rooms are facing,” Broten explained.