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By Doug Lett

NDP spars over health care holes

NDP, government, clash over maternal health care

Nov 1, 2022 | 4:26 PM

The NDP and the provincial government sparred over maternal health care during Question Period in the Legislature on Tuesday. And the opposition used recent nursing shortages in Meadow Lake as an example.

NDP Leader Carla Beck led off by asking Premier Scott Moe about the lack of maternal care in a variety of communities.

“We live in the birthplace of medicare, and we have babies being delivered on the side of the road,” Beck said referring to the case of a woman diverted from Meadow Lake’s hospital in March of 2021.

In a news release, the opposition NDP said the problems haven’t changed, pointing to an SHA memo advising of short staffing at the Meadow Lake hospital just last week, with only emergency deliveries being done.

“In Meadow Lake, a community of over 5,000, they’re not able to provide routine maternal care because they are so short of nurses,” Beck said. “Is this government asking expectant mothers to plan ahead to predict when they’re going to deliver? It is ludicrous.”

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She added in recent months expectant mothers have also been turned away from hospitals in Yorkton, Swift Current, and Estevan.

Premier Scott Moe acknowledged there are shortages at healthcare centres around the province.

“Most certainly we have had interruptions, temporary interruptions in various communities,” Moe said. But he added that’s why the government is putting millions of dollars into a major healthcare recruitment drive, targeting both doctors and nurses. Moe adds the plan includes additional incentives for some centres.

“That’s why we have over 100 positions that have been prioritized with incentives in hard-to-recruit or long-time open positions…in places like, for example, Meadow Lake, where we are having long-term challenges with recruitment,” the premier said. He added the challenges faced in Saskatchewan are being faced in other provinces as well.

Beck, however, said despite what the government says, shortages continue, pointing to a lack of emergency services over the weekend at the hospital in Ile a la Crosse in northwest Saskatchewan.

“And guess where, Mr. Speaker, those patients were being diverted? To Meadow Lake,” Beck said. “In every corner of this province, patients are being bounced around and diverted to other hospitals because services aren’t available.”

The premier maintained the government is doing all it can.

“(We) are absolutely committed to ensure those services are retained and regained back into each of those communities where we are seeing these temporary disruptions,” Moe said. “We’re going to see people landing into those positions this calendar year,” he said.

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doug.lett@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @DougLettSK