REGINA - Health care was back in focus at the Legislature Tuesday as the Opposition NDP raised the issue of wait times for hip and knee replacements.
During Question Period, Opposition Leader Carla Beck pointed to new numbers from Canadian Institute for Health Information for provinces across the country, showing “that Saskatchewan is still dead last when it comes to knee and hip replacement surgery. Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan has been dead last for almost as long as that Premier has held that seat.”
Both Beck and Regina Walsh Acres MLA Jared Clarke grilled Minister of Health Everett Hindley over the data. Clarke pointed out that Saskatchewan has been last for hip and knee replacement wait times since 2019. The exchanges between Clarke and Hindley are from Hansard:
Mr. Clarke: — “…These long wait times for life-changing surgeries are unacceptable. The median wait for hip replacements was 232 days, Mr. Speaker. But 10 per cent of patients were forced to wait more than 619 days or more. How does the minister defend that? Why should anyone in Saskatchewan have to wait in pain for almost two years before they can get a hip replacement that they need?”
Hon. Mr. Hindley: — “Our government has done over 1,000 more hip replacement surgeries than were done in the entire fiscal year of 2006‑2007, Mr. Speaker. We have a growing province, more people in Saskatchewan than ever before…”
Mr. Clarke: — “…The wait times for hip surgeries are unacceptable. But for knees, Mr. Speaker, they’re even longer — 318 days was the median wait time for knee replacements. But some people waited 716 days or more. Now these aren’t just numbers. These are Saskatchewan people, people who are waiting in pain for surgeries that should have been delivered months ago…”
Hon. Mr. Hindley: — “…Current average wait times for knee replacement is 309 days, which is lower than the wait time reported by CIHI in some recent reports, Mr. Speaker. As I said previously, over 16,500 orthopedic procedures have been completed in this province, including 5,300 hip and knee replacements.
“Mr. Speaker, just specific to knee surgeries, we have already completed the most knee replacement surgeries in this province’s history at over 3,700 knee surgeries, thanks to the great work being done by our surgical teams across this province, who we meet with on a regular basis to talk to surgeons, to talk to the head of surgery and those that are working in our operating rooms, nurses and other associated health care professionals, Mr. Speaker…”
Mr. Clarke: — “If I understand correctly, Mr. Speaker, the minister is saying that the wait is nine days lower than I was reporting. Big progress there, Mr. Speaker…
“People in BC are waiting half as long for hip and knee replacements. Why does the minister think it’s okay for people in BC to have better access to health care than people here at home?”
Hon. Mr. Hindley: — “Mr. Speaker, the member opposite, he might want to be cautious about referring to BC because when it comes to breast cancer care, the province of BC, New Democrat BC, is sending patients out of province. As a matter of fact, they’re also sending patients, when it comes to breast care, to Washington state, Mr. Speaker, for their care. That’s what the province of BC is doing.”
In speaking to reporters after Question Period, Hindley acknowledged the long wait times but did say those were coming down.
“We still have some work to do, first of all. We are making some significant process, I would say, when it comes to getting hip and knee replacement surgery completed for people in Saskatchewan, record investments into that surgical program. If you compare from 2023 to 2022 we are having more hip and knee replacement surgeries completed in Saskatchewan. Is it where it needs to be? No, not yet, and that’s why we continue to work with our surgical teams to create and provide the investments we need to support them, so we have seen a significant reduction in the number of patients who are waiting 18 months or longer. That has been reduced dramatically I want to say in the neighbourhood of 67 per cent, there’s been a drop in that.”
Hindley also noted part of the reason for the wait times was because a significant number of cases were backed up through the pandemic. He said they are trying to reduce that backlog and reduce the overall waiting list.
The province has also contracted a private clinic in Calgary to do hip and knee replacements to address the backlog. The government is reporting that the contract, which was set to expire in March, has been extended to September.
In speaking to reporters Clarke made clear he was not satisfied with the CIHI numbers.
“Saskatchewan people are waiting months to years to get these important, life-changing surgeries and we don’t think it’s fair that they’re waiting in pain,” said Clarke.
As for Hindley’s contention that the wait times are going down, Clarke said “we remain the last in the country when it comes to knee and hip replacement surgeries. We’d like to see those numbers from this government, we’d like to see some transparency about the wait times, and how long are people are waiting for that, and right now we don’t get to see that. We've got a lot of questions too, but Saskatchewan people are the ones who are waiting months after months to get these important, life-changing surgeries.”
