Ahtahkakoop Cree Developments and the Government of Saskatchewan have reached an agreement to construct a new urgent care centre in Saskatoon.
The centre will offer 24-hour assistance to residents with non-life-threatening conditions as well as offer mental health and addiction support. The Pleasant Hill Community School currently at the location will be demolished.
During an announcement Friday, Minister of Health Paul Merriman said the new urgent care centre will provide an alternative for residents needing immediate care and is expected to ease pressures on hospital emergency departments.
The centre will be constructed and run by the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation. It will offer 24-hour care for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries as well as offer mental health and addiction support. It will be staffed by medical professionals and will be overseen by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
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The chosen location is close to St. Paul’s hospital and currently features the Pleasant Hill Community School. Colleen MacPherson, chair of Saskatoon Public Schools, said the school will close at the end of this school year. Students will be transferred to King George School in the fall. The current 95-year-old school building will be demolished by Saskbuilds.
“The school will be knocked down, but there will be pieces incorporated in the facility. We are not going to use the physical bones of this school,” Minister Merriman said.
After the school, built in 1928, is knocked down, Saskbuilds will transfer the land over to Ahtahkakoop Cree Developments in July. The land will then be designated as a reserve and will become Treaty 6 Ahtahkakoop territory.
Raymond Ahenakew, Chief of Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, called it a historic development.
“We have an agreement between the province, the city and the First Nation, that this will be treaty six Ahtahkakoop land,” the Chief said.
Doctors will be able to get a base rate for a standard range of services for each patient, but will also get additional fee-for-service payments for extra services outside that standard range.
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The province said it heard concerns about the traditional fee-for-service model from the Saskatchewan Medical Association.
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It said this new model will also support recruitment and retention of doctors in family medicine.
“We are excited to be pursuing a compensation model that supports family physician-led team-based care and a more sustainable health care system in Saskatchewan,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said.
“We take the concerns and needs of our patients and family physicians very seriously and look forward to seeing this work advance.”
“This is very positive news for patients and physicians,” SMA President Dr. John Gjevre said.
“Family physicians are reassured to know that the government has heard their concerns and is moving forward with solutions that demonstrate they are a willing partner in addressing the challenges in our health care system.”
The government of Saskatchewan said the new payment model will take time to design through group efforts between the Saskatchewan Medical Association, Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Ministry of Health.
Sask. healthcare system ‘dissolving’
Ministers Everett Hindley and Merriman answered questions in Saskatoon on Friday from physicians.
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Merriman said they want to move to the transition to blended capitation very quickly, adding they have the aim of having something in front of physicians within 12 months.
He said that outsourcing is only a temporary solution in Saskatchewan, adding that they don’t want to cause burnout right now.
“Outsourcing is not a long-term solution; it is a temporary solution that we need to do right now.”
“Minister Everett Hindley and I are trying to balance out on our surgical side of things how we can maximize all of the surgeons out there and our backlog without burning everybody out.”
Merriman claimed Saskatchewan was about six months ahead of other provinces in terms of recruitment for doctors and nurses.
Speakers gave examples of the lineups, wait times, staffing and retention issues seen in hospitals across the province, with one person describing it as a “train wreck.”
Dr. Carla Holinaty, a family physician and member of the SMA board, said she’s thrilled to hear that the government announced this move to blended capitation, but stressed that the association would like to see something sooner.
“We know there’s a lot of stress on our family doctors. We know there are a lot of people making decisions about their practices and whether they are staying in family medicine or moving on to other things,” Holinaty said.
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She said the ultimate goal is to move toward a physician-led, team-based model that involves bringing in other health-care specialists to administer care.
Holinaty added she’d like to see interim funding come from the province that would be near blended capitation while doctors wait for the new model to be discussed and rolled out.
The friendship centre’s harm reduction manager said they’ve acquired a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) machine from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and have received proper training in Vancouver on using it.
“We have a safe injection site here as well, and we do a lot of drugs and narcotics coming through the centre,” said Emile Gariepy.
Recently, they tested a down substance and the results came back 50-55 per cent caffeine, 20-25 per cent xylitol, 10-15 xylazine and 10-15 fentanyl. Xylazine is a dangerous animal tranquillizer that is used to “buff” opioids like fentanyl.
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“With this last finding that we found, we found some fentanyl that was contaminated with xylazine, which is something that’s been slowly spreading its way down into Saskatchewan,” he said.
“We just recently had news that it was in Moose Jaw and we were kind of waiting for it to end up here. The fentanyl sample that I did test did come back positive for it…. Ifit’s in the wrong hands, it can kill people. And I think there has been a spike in deaths lately.”
The Regina Police Service (RPS) inspector who is in charge of gangs, drugs, firearms and property crimes said fentanyl and the opioid crisis is a big issue in the community.
“Illicit drugs are often mixed with unknown additives that we don’t know,” said RPS officer Cory Lindskog. “That’s the biggest risk with injecting any kind of illicit substances. You don’t know what exactly it is that you’re ingesting.”
The work that Newo Yotina Friendship Centre has been doing regarding testing street drugs is a step toward harm reduction.
“I think anything that would keep people safe and keep them alive … could potentially have an impact on our overdoses is a positive thing,” said Lindskog.
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According to the Board of Police Commissioners report, there were 187 occurrences in March 2023. There have been 13 apparent deaths and police attended 33 incidents and have used Narcan four times.
Gariepy encourages residents to test their drugs before using to help prevent overdoses. He said people are welcome to get their drugs tested and have the option to remain anonymous.
“Everybody’s welcome to come down here to the judgment-free zone,” he said. “They’re welcome to drop off a sample at the front desk and then we can email or text or whatever. They can come pick up their results as well after they’re after we’re done doing it.”
The Newo Yotina Friendship Centre is working with the Saskatchewan Health Authority on creating drug alerts for the community of Regina.
Regina sees over 100 overdoses a month, says Board of Police Commissioners report
Premier Scott Moe reiterated his disappointment in the federal government’s offer for additional health care funding, but made it clear that any increase in funding was needed.
“It is a two per cent lift,” Moe said. “It’s all needed, and we do need to look at how we are delivering health care, and are there better ways in delivering that health care.”
Moe said he didn’t see anything alarming in terms of the federal government’s priorities regarding health care, saying they aligned with Saskatchewan’s priorities.
He noted that there are many things up in the air in terms of the health care budget, but said the new funding will hopefully be ready by budget deliberations.
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Moe said something he’d like to see and has been trying to navigate through is training local residents to work in the health care system.
“We’ve been increasing those training seats.”
He said the number one thing they’re trying to address is the number of qualified people working in the field, with the second priority aiming to address surgical wait times.
“Those surgical wait times that we now have are going to take some outside of the box thinking on how we’re going to approach them.”
He said they are looking at publicly-funded surgeries in the private delivery realm, noting there’s a conversation to be had for certain surgeries.
Moe said virtual health care is another tool that is becoming more commonplace.
He added health care is changing, noting programs are different now than they were five years ago.
NDP health critics Vicki Mowat and Matt Love said a different focus is needed, and that Community Health Advisory Networks need to be re-established.
“Local leaders feel shut out of health care decision making,” Mowat said.
Community Health Advisory Networks existed before local health authorities in the province were amalgamated, but were disbanded.
“It’s pretty clear that centralizing health care decisions out of the premier’s office is failing to deliver reliable, quality care for communities across Saskatchewan.”
Mowat said that’s been a reoccurring message they’ve been receiving as they tour across Saskatchewan speaking to frontline workers and local leaders.
“Local people and community leaders know what their communities need – it’s time to bring those voices back to the table.”
Love said Community Health Advisory Networks would address the needs of local health care with physician-based solutions.
“Decision making must have a local perspective at the table,” Love said.
He said if we don’t listen to local health care workers, the province will continue to see health care workers leaving the province.
Dr. John Dornan, the former CEO of Horizon Health Network in New Brunswick, has been awarded more than $2 million in compensation, plus pension contributions and benefits, after he was fired just a few months into his five-year mandate.
According to Dornan’s lawyers, this is the largest employment compensation award in New Brunswick’s history. It also includes $200,000 in aggravated damages.
Premier Blaine Higgs announced Dornan’s firing in July 2022, following the death of a patient in an emergency department waiting room in Fredericton.
Higgs also shuffled out the health minister and wiped the boards of both Horizon and Vitalité health networks.
In a release, Dornan said he was a “political scapegoat.”
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“Nobody should have their career and livelihood taken away like that,” he said.
“I’ve had a cloud hanging over my head. I hope this decision goes some way towards restoring my reputation and allowing me to resume my career.”
Kelly VanBuskirk, Dornan’s lawyer in New Brunswick, said the doctor had spent more than 30 years building his reputation as a physician and health-care executive.
“For a person like Dr. Dornan, who has spent his entire life, really, in the health-care sector, serving people, working with the public, trying to advance the wellbeing of New Brunswickers … having his job taken from him in the way that it was, that’s traumatic, that’s upsetting, that’s humiliating,” he said.
VanBuskirk said Dornan was treated in “bad faith,” as he was “unceremoniously fired in the parking lot” shortly before the July 15 press conference announcing the health-care shakeups.
“Employers have a duty of good faith and fair dealing when terminating someone’s employment,” he said.
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Dornan was named CEO of Horizon Health Network in March 2022. He had been serving as interim CEO since August 2021, replacing Karen McGrath after her retirement.
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During the news conference where Donan’s dismissal was announced, Higgs placed the blame for the struggling health-care system on management.
“It’s not up to me to run the health-care authorities but it is up to me to ensure that the right people are in the position to do so, and it starts at the top,” he said.
“If we don’t get better management results in our hospitals, we won’t get better health care.”
Howard Levitt, a Toronto-based lawyer, said Dornan was publicly blamed for many of the current problems in the province’s health-care system, including the recent death of a patient.
“There is no other way to say it — the premier threw John Dornan under the bus in a public, disingenuous and callous manner, just minutes after he fired him,” he said.
‘Tough discussions’ needed: premier
Speaking with reporters Thursday afternoon, the premier said when he made the decision back in July, he was looking to “bring a sense of urgency into the health-care system.”
“If I had to go back in July, I would be doing the same thing,” Higgs said.
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Asked about the manner in which Dornan was fired – specifically, the “callous and disingenuous” way he was dismissed – Higgs clarified that he wasn’t talking about “what the adjudicator said and what was right or wrong.”
“I was referring to the overall situation and the changes that were made,” he said.
“I think that the statements made and the decision made are still to be evaluated, and that I’ll wait for our legal folks to give me a determination on that.”
Higgs – who is also being sued by another doctor who accused him of publicly blaming him for a COVID-19 outbreak – did not directly answer a question about what these legal actions mean for doctor recruitment in the province, but said improving services for New Brunswickers sometimes comes with “tough discussions.”
“Let’s put aside the personalities and the personal conflicts and say, ‘How do we deliver better results?’” he said.
“I just stick with that principle and so it does involve, sometimes, some tough discussions.”
‘Disingenuous and callous’ firing
In a written decision dated Feb. 15, adjudicator George Filliter accepted that Dornan was fired in a “public, disingenuous and callous manner.”
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It said that Dornan had been asked a day before his dismissal to attend a news conference, but was not told what it would be about.
While Dornan was on the way to the news conference on July 15, it said he received a call from Higgs informing him that Bruce Fitch would be appointed as the new health minister.
It said Fitch then took the phone and “promptly terminated the grievor.”
Filliter wrote that after Dornan was terminated, the premier and the new minister of health held a news conference that referred to the recent emergency room death, and appointed a new health minister, abolished two hospital boards and dismissed Dornan as a result.
“It would be reasonable for a member of the public to conclude that the premier had concluded the grievor was responsible for this unfortunate death,” the decision read.
“Furthermore, the only conclusion to be reached from this news conference was that the announced termination of the grievor was directly related to the unfortunate death.
“In my view, these comments were made without proof and caused unjustified harm to the professional reputation of the grievor.”
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New Brunswick premier’s state of the province address gets mixed reviews
During the adjudication hearing, which took place in December, Dornan testified that an investigation into the emergency room death concluded it had nothing to do with his management.
As well, according to Dornan’s testimony, he has been unable to find work after he was fired.
“According to the evidence of the grievor, there are no positions available in the province, even for someone of his stature and qualifications, because of the system. The two positions he previously held are no longer available,” the decision said.
The decision said he had applied out of the province and had “two very positive interviews” for a position in Saskatchewan similar to the one he was terminated from.
“But he was told by the agency hired to conduct this search on behalf of the province of Saskatchewan that when representatives of the province of New Brunswick were contacted, they did not provide a good reference,” the decision said.
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It also said Dornan “became very much aware of the potentially precarious nature of his job” while he was still working as the interim CEO.
He testified that at one point, he was encouraged to consider ending the obstetric and gynecological services at the Upper River Valley Hospital, which he did.
“The next day he was told by the Board of the employer to reverse his announcement and later he received a call from the Premier in which the grievor was told during this conversation that he had been ‘thrown under the bus,’” it said.
New Brunswick to have nearly $250M more in health-care budget from federal funding
Filliter’s decision also noted that Dornan had signed a contract that included a termination clause, which would have entitled him to a year’s pay in lieu of notice.
However, the adjudicator found the clause was unenforceable because Dornan had only signed the contract after he had already been in his role for two weeks, and had previously orally accepted terms of his employment, which did not include details about the clause.
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“I have no hesitation in concluding that … (he) felt he was in a vulnerable position as he had no other option having arranged to have his previous positions filled on a permanent basis,” the decision said.
“In considering the extent of his vulnerability, one cannot forget that he testified, that had this clause been mentioned in earlier negotiations he would not have accepted the offer of employment.”
In the end, Dornan was awarded special damages representing the value of lost salary and benefits for the remainder of his five-year term, as well as aggravated damages in the amount of $200,000 “for the breach of the employer’s implied obligation to act in good faith when dismissing him.”
With efforts to raise awareness and increase knowledge, the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute launched a new campaign about the dramatic rise of syphilis in the province.
According to a release, the initiative corresponds with an associated rise in cases of congenital syphilis with a primary focus on keeping children healthy. The sexually transmitted disease (STD) can be passed to babies during pregnancy or delivery.
The Prevention Institute’s Sexual and Reproductive Health program coordinator said with the re-emergence of congenital syphilis, they are seeing an increase in disability and even death.
“Syphilis is preventable. Congenital syphilis is preventable,” stated Jasmin Ogren. “We need to get the message out that syphilis is back, and that all it takes is a quick blood test and simple antibiotics to cure the infection.”
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According to Saskatchewan Prevention Institute, syphilis infections in Saskatchewan have increased substantially since 2016 and the Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health reported 1,940 cases in 2021, up from 924 in 2020.
The awareness campaign aims to increase knowledge about syphilis to encourage people to get tested and to know that it can be treated with antibiotics, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
The Prevention Institute’s campaign includes province-wide messaging shared through online and traditional media including billboards, radio, bathroom advertising and more.
“People need to know that syphilis is here, and anyone having unprotected sex is at risk for syphilis,” stated Ogren. “But they also need to know how easy it is to get tested, treated, and ultimately, cured. Doing so will help to stop the spread of syphilis and protect babies.”
Without treatment, syphilis runs in four stages: primary, secondary stage, latent and late stages, according to the Ministry of Health website. To learn more about syphilis and to find community resources, visit talksyphilis.ca.
Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is reporting that one employee has been terminated following an investigation into irregular activity in the trust accounts of several residents at the Northland Pioneers Lodge in Meadow Lake.
According to a statement, there were irregular payments for cash and purchased items from the resident’s trust account.
SHA said they referred the matter to the RCMP and charges were laid.
The former employee entered a guilty plea and was ordered by the court to pay $13,374 in restitution.
The restitution payment was received on Oct. 17, 2022. The Saskatchewan Health Authority reimbursed the residents for the remaining $2,262 that was not covered by restitution.
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According to the statement new processes have been implemented at the location regarding purchases made on behalf of residents.
SHA says training sessions have been completed for staff in the SHA’s former Prairie North region who are responsible for handling resident accounts and cash. They say reviews are now being conducted on an ongoing basis.
Saskatoon’s city council chambers were filled to the brim Wednesday morning as people came to speak on the topic of public changeroom access.
“I do not need a cis man speaking for me, on behalf of me, or over me, especially on International Women’s Day,” said Sarah Smokeyday, who was one of many speakers in opposition to a select few calls to restrict trans people from women’s changerooms.
There has been intolerance and an outcry online after unconfirmed reports of a person with male anatomy in the female changeroom at the Shaw Centre.
Over 300 pages of comments were submitted to the city, a vast majority of which showed support for the trans community and their right to access washrooms or changerooms that align with their gender identity.
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Smokeyday said it was disturbing to hear people stereotype and spread misinformation about trans people.
“Statistics from first-hand accounts, police records, and court documents continually have proven time and time again that the danger to women and children is not trans women, or trans men, or non-binary folks. It’s not drag artists, or people pretending to be any of the above.”
She added she was one such survivor.
“I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual violence.”
“This boogeyman scare tactic, someone hiding in an alley or changeroom, has been used regularly throughout the years,” Smokeyday said.
She said women and children won’t find danger in a change room or washroom, but instead in those who are spreading misinformation to try and control and promote fear.
“In this community, I believe it is our duty to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression,” said Kyle Anderson, another speaker.
“Transgender people are victims of a society hostile to their very existence.”
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Anderson said there’s a severe lack of supports for the trans community, noting they are far more likely to suffer from substance abuse, mental health issues, and more likely to attempt suicide.
Anderson added that this is due to a society that looks at trans people as less than human.
He said the challenges trans people face are especially pronounced when trying to access washrooms or change rooms.
“Many will face harassment and violence when attempting to use facilities aligned with their gender identity. This is unacceptable, and it’s our responsibility as a community to ensure that everybody feels safe and welcome in our public spaces.”
“We’re here today because of an unsubstantiated claim, rooted in hate, designed to deprive citizens of their rights. Saskatoon is not unique in this respect,” Anderson added.
He said similar fabricated incidents were found in places like Calgary and Nanaimo as well.
“It’s clear to anyone paying attention that hateful rhetoric is being amplified, and an increase in hate crimes is the inevitable consequence.”
He said action and allyship are needed more than ever.
‘Misinformation, fear, lack of critical education’: A look at trans hate in Saskatchewan
Anderson called on the city to create a safe zone at public pools and libraries that would prevent hateful protests from being within 100 metres of those facilities.
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“Protest is a legal right, harassment and intimidation are not.”
Among those who spoke was a 10-year-old trans-non-binary child who questioned the fear being discussed in the meeting.
“At what point do I go from being someone you protect, to someone who is a threat?” Zipp Neufeld said.
“I deserve to age without fear that the bathroom and change space that allows me to feel safe and at peace will be taken from me.”
Zipp ended by noting that when trans adults thrive, trans kids survive.
“Gender inclusivity, and inclusivity in general, has been historically proven to be safe, much more so than segregation,” Jared Young said.
Young noted that we shouldn’t be entertaining the discussion around access to public washrooms and changerooms for trans people, adding that pushback on inclusive policies is nothing new.
“They always promote the idea that women and children need safeguarding from unfounded threats. We saw this with Black people under segregation with the narrative that they’d assault and rape women if we didn’t keep facilities segregated.”
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“We saw this in the prolonged fights to provide access to those with disabilities. We saw this with gay people under a predator-based narrative stronger than ever before. This time they warned of ‘diseased gays’ lurking in bathrooms waiting to pounce on any victim, including children.”
Young said concerns about safety are valid, but warned that extremists are co-opting that concern.
“We need to ensure that as a community we have each other’s safety in mind and are aware of each other’s needs. We need to be ready to protect everyone, especially our most vulnerable.”
Blake Tait, who also spoke at city council, stressed that the current inclusive policy in place is a deterrent to violent crime in public washrooms and change rooms.
“Trans people in Saskatoon deserve the right to access facilities owned and operated by the city. The Saskatchewan and Canadian Human Rights Commission dictate clearly that trans rights are human rights.”
“Transgender people are not criminals and are statistically proven to be a lesser threat than the general population,” Tait added.
Alexander Edmunds said the protests seen outside the Shaw Centre were transphobic.
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Edmunds brought up the harassment and threats towards Coun. David Kirton, noting that this was unacceptable.
“I’m saddened to hear that transphobic people have threatened a city council member. The same people have harassed gender-diverse people, including me.”
“I have received two death threats since I have started counter-protesting,” Edmunds claimed.
Edmunds added that the city should condemn the protests at the Shaw Centre, noting that they go against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Brielle Bright said she’s heard stories of male security guards entering ladies’ rooms and stalking trans women while they were in a stall.
“With the backing of available statistics and evidence, trans people categorically do not pose a threat to women and girls in washrooms and change facilities, or anywhere else.”
She said she was the victim of separate instances of both physical and sexual assaults.
“My physical assault happened at the hands of a cisgender man, my sexual assault at the hands of a cisgender woman.”
“I can’t control the reactions people have to me simply existing. I can’t control that there are people fearful of me, not due to my actions or behaviour, but instead due to prejudice,” Bright said.
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Many others took to the podium to speak throughout the morning, after which city councillors showed their appreciation for those who came to sit in on the meeting, and those who spoke.
Coun. Hillary Gough said she doesn’t support the harmful rhetoric she’s heard against the trans community.
“This rhetoric puts trans people at risk,” Gough said.
She noted the issues she sees that need to be addressed are fear, misinformation, othering and transphobia.
Mayor Charlie Clark said this is an issue of rights, but also an issue of being the best community we can be.
“Today is a chance for that story, that reality that people face, to come and share that on a public stage.”
He noted that it can be difficult to share those stories, saying this can seem like a vulnerable space.
Clark stressed that he has no intention of moving backwards, or becoming a city that takes steps to become more discriminatory.
A 2018 report highlighted by Statistics Canada called the Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces (SSPPS) said sexual minorities in Canada are more likely to be violently victimized in their lifetime than heterosexual people.
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The report noted that a large number of physical and sexual assaults go unreported for a number of reasons.
It said that if you exclude violence committed by an intimate partner, 59 per cent of sexual minorities have been physically or sexually assaulted since the age of 15.
In comparison, about 37 per cent of heterosexual people reported the same.
Those stats jump when looking at Indigenous sexual minorities. The report says 73 per cent of Indigenous sexual minorities have been physically assaulted and 65 per cent have been sexually assaulted.
A report in 2022 from Canada’s Department of Justice corroborates this data with its own study, “A Qualitative Look at Serious Legal Problems: Trans, Two-Spirit, and Non-Binary People in Canada.”
“We have already demonstrated that trans, Two-Spirit, and non-binary people face wide-ranging forms of adversity, barriers, and harm in many interpersonal and institutional contexts. In fact, every participant in this study described being subjected to violence and abuse. Some reported isolated (but no less severe) incidents of abuse, while others revealed that violence and oppression were common, if not constant, across various spheres of their lives,” the report read.
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People in the study reported verbal and psychological harassment and abuse, but also physical violence.
“Participants also reported being subjected to physical violence, which includes isolated, occasional, or sustained incidents such as attacks by strangers, domestic violence, abuse by family members, sexual assault, and violent interactions with persons in positions of authority.”
The study also has quotes from participants describing some of the incidents of violence they experienced.
“They jumped me from behind, they ran up and jumped me from behind and just started punching me in the head. It was one man that came up first, and then I took him on, and the other one jumped in, and both of them started attacking me and punching me,” said one participant, Kiva.
The Government of Canada website says that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
“‘Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration. All people, including LGBTQ2I individuals, are entitled to enjoy the protection provided by international human rights law, which is based on equality and non-discrimination,” the website says.
Saskatoon trans community member shares their experience dealing with hate, discrimination
Hundreds of rural Saskatchewan residents gathered Tuesday night to demand answers after the Galloway Health Centre in Oxbow, Sask., experienced at least a dozen emergency department closures in recent weeks.
Guest speakers at the town hall included (from left to right) SHA Primary Care Interim Director Candace Kopec, Cannington MLA Daryl Harrison, Community Health Services Manager Caroline Hill, Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen, and SHA Southeast Acute Care Director Colleen Easton.
Connor O’Donovan / Global News
And, despite reassurance from Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) officials that the staffing issues causing the disruptions have been resolved, community members say they aren’t convinced their local health care system is stable.
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“It’s good, it’s a step in the right direction,” said local resident Tamara Brock, who helped organize the town hall which brought several SHA officials and local politicians to Oxbow.
“But our job doesn’t stop here. Since Jan. 1st I think we’ve seen over 100 hours that we’ve seen emergency services at this facility closed.”
Over 250 community members attended the town hall.
Connor O’Donovan / Global News
SHA Southeast Acute Care Director Colleen Easton was among the officials who took questions at the town hall. Easton said, by her count, the centre had experienced ER disruptions on at least 12 different days since the start of the new year.
She said that to operate the ER requires at least one registered nurse to be on shift, and that due to multiple vacancies the nursing staff remaining has been unable to staff the emergency department around the clock.
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“There were 2.5 vacant registered nurse lines in Oxbow which have subsequently been filled, and the incumbents are to be starting in the coming days, so it’s my expectation that the service should stabilize and the disruptions should be minimized,” Easton said.
“It can take time to fill these positions and when they kind of gang up on you all at once you can have more than you can handle for a little while.”
Brock, though, said the nurses who are or were working at the Galloway Health Centre have been overworked, exhausted and in some cases working hundreds of overtime hours per year. She’s not convinced that the new hires won’t have a similar experience and worries that if they do, they might burn out.
“These nurses are working non-stop to keep this open. They’re tired. They’re taking time time away from their own personal lives to keep this open for us,” Brock said.
When taking questions from community members, Easton promised to advocate for the addition of another registered nurse at the Oxbow facility.
But because health care workers are in high demand across Saskatchewan, Easton said she can’t make any promises.
The news from the SHA, it seemed, wasn’t enough to alleviate their worries of the 250 or so area residents in attendance either.
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Several voiced concerns about further ER disruptions, or general lack of service, to raucous applause from onlookers.
“If our ER is closed in Oxbow we could end up driving an hour away for emergency care,” said local paramedic David Dyck, who stepped up to the mic at the meeting.
“Transport time, getting someone to a higher level of care can cost someone their life.”
Dyck said his team has experienced incidents where they’ve had to take patients to ERs in Estevan or Arcola because of closures in Oxbow, and added out-of-community services like STARS air ambulance can’t always fill in the gaps.
“It is very frustrating. We only have one ambulance in our town so just for a backup ambulance we’re waiting 30 minutes a lot of times,” he said.
“Then to have our local ER closed, to delay that even more, can be really frightening. We could have a multiple-casualty incident and we’re kind of by ourselves a lot of times.”
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The event’s organizers, meanwhile, say they plan to make note of all concerns expressed at the town hall and communicate those to the province along with a demand for a comprehensive plan to keep health care services accessible.
Tamara Brock said the community hopes to have a continued dialogue with the SHA and government of Saskatchewan moving forward.
“We are putting an action plan together and we will get it to the SHA and government and ask for them to complete the action plan or give us a date for when it will be completed.”
Galloway Health Centre Emergency Services crucial to community health: Saskatchewan paramedic
An earlier version of this story said Cory had been in hospital since July 2022 for a total of seven months. He’s been in hospital since June 2022 for a total of eight months.
Cory Kadlec has been in hospital so long, his family said, his health isn’t getting better, it’s getting worse.
He’s been in a hospital in Saskatoon since June 11, 2022, after he had a seizure, according to his sister Tara Jo.
Cory and his family say the long hospital stay is hurting his recovery. He can’t spend time with friends and live the independent life he is capable of living. They said his mental health is deteriorating.
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Cory wants to return to a care home, like one he lived at before he had the seizure. But care homes said they can’t accommodate Cory’s complex health needs, the family says.
According to his family, the only option the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and Ministry of Social Services (MSS) offered is even worse – a long-term care dementia ward.
‘There’s no way my brother will survive in there mentally,” Tara Jo said, speaking from her home in Calgary. “Not one minute.”
She said the other patients in the long-term care (LTC) facility have late-stage dementia that is much worse than Cory’s early-stage affliction.
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According to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, patients with early-stage dementia can have difficulties communicating and forget things but “retain many of their abilities” whereas people with mid- and late-stage dementia may require “(a)ssistance with daily tasks,” such as dressing and using the bathroom, and can require care 24 hours a day.
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Tara Jo said Cory does need access to round-the-clock care, but not for his dementia. Rather, for his diabetes, which can require several doses of different types of insulin every day.
She said putting Cory in the LTC would mean he is isolated and wouldn’t be capable of enjoying his life.
Cory Kadlec says he hates waiting in the hospital. He wants to go back to a group home but his family says the Saskatchewan Health Authority won’t provide the medical support he needs.
Tara Jo Kadlec / Supplied
“He actually needs an appropriate home for his medical needs as well as what he deserves as a human to live the life that he still has,” she said.
She told Global News Cory wants a room of his own where he can still be independent.
Tara Jo, who is Cory’s legal guardian along with their father, said only two care homes contacted the family and both said they are unable to accept Cory because they can’t accommodate his medical needs.
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The Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services provides funding through partnerships with many care homes across the province, including group homes, group living homes and day programs.
Tara Jo said she was told repeatedly by SHA and MSS officials that the SHA must fund medical care administered in group homes.
Tara Jo said she had hoped the Ministry and Authority would work together to help Cory.
“They said the only option we’re giving you is long-term care,” she said.
Global News asked Elmwood Residences Inc., the Saskatoon-based organization that operates the care home where Cory was living prior to suffering the seizure, for an interview.
Rachael Steinke, the executive director, provided a statement in which she specified confidentiality prohibited her from speaking about specifics of Cory’s case.
“Elmwood recognizes and experiences gaps between human service systems where one Ministry or Authority ends, and another begins,” she wrote.
The statement also said “(l)ong standing funding issues for Community-Based Organizations in the Disability Service Sector and provincial recruitment initiatives for the Health and Education sectors widen the gaps and cause significant recruitment and retention issues.”
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“It is Elmwood’s deep hope that the service gaps are recognized and addressed to ensure all individuals with intellectual disabilities have their needs met seamlessly and without delay.”
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Tara Jo told Global News MSS did offer to pay for a support worker for 40 hours a week. She said it helps but 40 hours isn’t enough.
She also said the family sought to have MSS re-evaluate Cory after his stroke to see if he qualified for more benefits. She said officials told the family they won’t re-evaluate him until he’s stabilized from the stroke – which Tara Jo said can’t happen while he’s in hospital.
She said the family can’t afford to pay for Cory’s care and they’re unable to care for him themselves because they lack the training and don’t all live in Saskatchewan.
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Tara Jo said they’d consider moving him to Alberta, but Alberta officials told her they need to evaluate Cory in that province – which would require the family to move Cory and care for him while they wait for the evaluation process and housing to become available.
Bluesette Campbell, the president of Inclusion Saskatchewan, an organization that works to support individuals with intellectual disabilities, said she’s heard of many people waiting a long time for appropriate housing.
Cory Kadlec in a Saskatoon hospital. His family told Global News they brought him many of his things from his group home so he would be more comfortable.
Tara Jo Kadlec
Speaking generally about the support available, she said the system is reactive, “which is… you have to sit there and wait. I don’t find that acceptable.”
Part of the problem is a lack of housing across all sectors, she said.
She also said the division of responsibility between ministries can contribute to inadequate care.
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“What we recognize is this… cross-section or cross-cutting of responsibilities that don’t necessarily fall neat and tidy into one silo,” she said.
She said any solution must involve speaking to people with intellectual disabilities and asking what they want.
“I believe that everyone, regardless of their age or their abilities, has that right to have a place where they are safe and feel (at) home.”
When asked about his time in the hospital in an interview, Cory told Global News, “I hate this.”
Bob Martinook, the executive director of the social service ministry’s community living service delivery, in a statement said “we want Cory Kadlec and his family to know we understand their concerns and are here as a support.”
The statement said the ministry couldn’t speak to specific cases due to privacy concerns, but did say planning is an ongoing process with regular reviews to ensure appropriate supports are being provided.
David Freeman, an SHA media relations specialist, also cited privacy and would not speak about Cory’s situation.
His statement said the Health Authority weighs all patient care needs and best matches the individual’s needs – both medical and social, in the case of long-term care or community living placement – with the care options available.”
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“We take all care concerns from patients and their family members very seriously.”
Tara Jo said she doesn’t know how to get Cory the care he needs. For now, it appears he’s stuck in the hospital.
“I feel broken. My family feels broken, but most of all, my brother is broken,” Tara Jo said.
