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March 23, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Southwest Health Care Issues
Raised in Legislature
Official Opposition Leader Brad Wall raised
concerns in the Legislature today regarding the shortage of nurses
and its impact on the availability of beds in the Cypress Health
Region.
“My constituency office in Swift Current is
fielding an increasing number of calls from people in southwest
Saskatchewan who are frustrated with health care,” said Wall.
“Doctors with the Cypress Regional Medical
Association believe that the shortage of nurses could limit the
number of beds that would be actively utilized at the new regional
hospital in Swift Current,” added Wall.
Wall also pointed to recent statistics from the
Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) which indicate that the Cypress
Health Region requires 15 more nurses just to meet professional
standards for client care.
“We are also hearing concerns that there may be
a shortage of long-term care beds as patients who require long-term
care beds are being placed in acute care beds,” said Wall.
Wall asked the Minister of Health, Hon. Len
Taylor, what the provincial government is doing to ensure that
acute-care and long-term care beds are available for the patients
who require them.
Wall said the recruitment and retention of
health care professionals is the number one issue in the Swift
Current constituency right now, and reiterated his support for any
recruitment and retention efforts.
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For More Information
Contact 778-2429 |
