Rural health centres in Sask. have experienced 789 combined days of disruptions since 2019, NDP find

WATCH: The Saskatchewan NDP hosted a press conference on Wednesday, highlighting the umber of medical service closures in west central Sask.

Records stemming from a Freedom of Information request, show the total number of days which saw service disruptions in various rural health care facilities equals 789 days ranging from the 2019 to the spring of 2024.

• Biggar and District Health Centre - 113 days
• Kerrobert Health Centre - 103 days
• Kindersley and District Health Centre - 116 days
• Lloydminster Hospital - 239 days
• Unity and District Health Centre - 27 days
• Wilkie and District Health Centre - 191 days

The types of services which saw disruptions include emergency rooms, emergency stabilization, basic radiology and laboratory, medical, observation and assessment, diagnostic imaging, CT scans, obstetrics, fluoroscopy and computerized tomography diagnostic, along with several unnamed services.

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NDP MLAs Vicki Mowat and Meara Conway spoke at a press conference Wednesday morning to discuss the findings.

The pair called for action from the Saskatchewan Party MLAs who represent the areas affected by the disruptions.

“We haven’t heard a peep from these MLAs. We know that the government touts a recruitment and retention plan that is not worth the paper that it’s printed on,” Conway argued. “We have the worst outcomes in Canada for retention of health care workers in rural in rural communities. Where are these MLAs? They are missing in action.”

MLAs Kim Gartner, James Thorenstien, and Colleen Young were all mentioned by name in the conference, in addition to the Minister of Health, Jeremy Cockrill.

“No one should have to drive three hours to get access to healthcare when their family’s in an emergency. Patients dying in ambulances, because of closures like these are very dire situation ... we’ve raised this publicly and, he [Cockrill] has a responsibility to the people right in his own backyard to make sure this is not happening,” Mowat said.

CTV News requested comments from all the Sask. Party MLAs named during the conference.

The Government of Saskatchewan provided a statement in response.

“The SHA is continuing to work to provide 24/7 CT coverage in Lloydminster. While this service is largely in place, we anticipate occasional disruptions to service due to staffing challenges and to allow for required maintenance to be performed. Recruitment efforts in Lloydminster include posting with additional advertisements, offering return for service bursaries and working with provincial partners to promote opportunities,” it read.

The statement also touched on the government’s efforts to staff healthcare facilities in the province.

“As part of the provincial government’s Health Human Resource (HHR) Action Plan, recruitment and retention of health-care workers remains a priority. The Government of Saskatchewan, SHA and Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency are taking action to stabilize and increase the health workforce in Saskatchewan and accelerate efforts to attract and retain health-care workers.”

However, the Opposition NDP argue the strategy is proving to be ineffective as a long term solution.

“Simply put, the recruiting and retention strategy has failed. It is failing right now. We have health care workers leaving in droves,” Mowat added.

“We have record numbers of folks that are leaving and when you compare us to the rest of Canada, we have the worst rates and second worst rates across the country. So, it is not simply that this is the same issue that is being faced across Canada.”