Saskatchewan Boosts Health Transparency with Daily Closure Updates
Saskatchewan's Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill has announced a new commitment to improve transparency around temporary health facility and service closures. The Saskatchewan Health Authority will now publish daily updates on its website, following an increase in service disruptions and criticism of the current notification process.
NDP health critic Jared Clarke introduced a private member's bill requiring the health authority to notify of any emergency room closure within one hour. The bill was a response to the growing issue of closures occurring with little to no notice, which has been a challenge for Saskatchewan residents.
Cockrill acknowledged the frustration and stated that the province is working on hiring more staff and providing one-time payments to attract workers to rural areas. The government is also increasing training seats in post-secondary schools to boost the number of health-care graduates.
From November 2023 to May 2025, there were 643 service disruptions, a significant increase from the 86 recorded in 2018-19. These disruptions range from emergency room closures to cancelled laboratory work and surgeries, with hundreds involving rural emergency rooms. One example is the intermittent closure of the CT scanner at Battlefords Union Hospital due to staffing shortages, as reported by nurse Cindy Landrie.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority will publish a list of disruptions on its website, updated every day at 4 p.m. This new measure aims to provide better transparency and keep residents informed about temporary health facility and service closures. The province is also working on long-term solutions to address staffing shortages and reduce service disruptions.
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