The Saskatchewan NDP is sounding alarms over the lack of physicians in the province and said it is ready to do something about it.
The news comes after the NDP leaked a memo that shows a lack of physician availability at Regina General and Pasqua hospitals resulting in interventional radiology services being temporarily unavailable.
The closure at the Regina General Hospital began Sunday and will continue until Friday at 8 a.m.
At the Pasqua Hospital, the closure will last from Wednesday, Oct. 30 until Nov. 1.
The Saskatchewan Party said in an emergency, Regina patients can be sent to Saskatoon to see radiologists.
The NDP says these closures point to a larger issue with the province’s health-care system.
One person feeling the effects is Kayla Deics. Deics was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in July after finding a lump last December. She had to travel to Calgary to get a biopsy and diagnosis to avoid a year-long wait for an appointment in Saskatchewan.
“If I had trusted the Saskatchewan health-care system, I wouldn’t be alive to make that appointment,” Deics said. “Mine was scheduled for February 2025.… I would still not be diagnosed today.
The trip to Alberta cost her $2,000 out of her pocket.
“This is not how health care should be. You shouldn’t have to leave the province. You pay taxes for simple medical care,” she said.
“I’m a firm believer the only reason the health-care system is working at all is because of the doctors and nurses themselves.”
Last year Saskatchewan lost 4,000 health-care workers, the largest loss in the country, according to NDP Leader Carla Beck.
She said an NDP government would hire 800 new front-line health-care workers over four years if her party wins the election.
Beck said those positions would be filled by staff in areas that are of highest need, as the province sees long waits for emergencies, surgeries and family doctors.
She has already announced an NDP government would spend $1.1 billion more on health care over four years, with much of that money used for hiring and improving working conditions.
Emergency rooms in recent weeks have also been overcapacity, with patients receiving care in crammed hallways.
Beck has said she would convert part-time job postings to full-time and work with staff to come up with solutions to make sure new hires aren’t leaving.
“This simply has to stop,” Beck said.
“We’re also going to end the culture of fear amongst health-care workers, we’re going to take steps to prevent worker burnout in the province and to ensure safe staffing levels with the tools they need.”
The Saskatchewan Health Authority said there are temporary disruptions of some radiologist services at both of Regina’s hospitals due to physician shortages. The SHA said it is dedicated to minimizing those delays.
The SHA also said there is a limited supply of medical imaging physicians across Canada and that recruitment is a top priority.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe has said he would broaden his health-care plan announced two years ago. Moe has said 1,400 recent nursing grads have been hired over that time frame.
The NDP has criticized Moe’s fiscal platform, saying it provides little additional funding for health care and would result in service cuts.
The Saskatchewan Party has said it’s made record investments in health.
— with files from The Canadian Press’s Jeremy Simes