When the fall sitting begins at the Legislature next month in Regina, the opposition New Democrats are intending to introduce legislation about the public notifications for emergency room closures.
The Sask NDP said on Wednesday, would require a formal public notification of all emergency room closures in the province after months of analysis and testimonials from people who were unable to access emergency healthcare in rural communities.
In a news release, they pointed a recent situation where residents of Outlook were diverted to Davidson after a emergency room closure, only to find the emergency room in Davidson also closed.
“Clearly, after 18 years of Sask. Party mismanagement and failure that has left healthcare in Saskatchewan in last place, there is no end in sight to emergency room closures,” said Jared Clarke, Saskatchewan NDP Rural & Remote Health Shadow Minister. “The least this incompetent government can do is provide potentially lifesaving information about which emergency rooms are open, and which are closed. Minutes in these situations can literally be the difference between life and death.”
According to the Saskatchewan NDP, there have been at least 134 emergency room closures totaling 1325 days from December 2024 to the end of April. They noted the number could be higher as the Saskatchewan Health Authority doesn’t provide notification, with many communities relying on the social media channels of the affected municipalities.
Clarke says the lack of notification is a political decision.
““This is the Sask. Party attempting to cover its tracks — they don’t want the people of Saskatchewan to know just how badly they have failed,” Clarke said. “This legislation is a necessary step to save lives while we launch a bigger conversation of how we can leave the Sask. Party behind and change healthcare for the better — for our future.”