NORTH BATTLEFORD ‑ The operations of Saskatchewan Hospital have once again come under scrutiny in the Saskatchewan legislature.
During Question Period Tuesday, April 12, the NDP opposition grilled the Sask. Party government over issues at the facility, particularly focusing on staff.
Opposition health critic Vicki Mowat ran through a list of issues: “complete exterior replacement; flooding; faulty roof; electrical issues; they can’t drink the water; residents and staff displaced with units shuttered for repairs in a brand-new facility. And to this day, Mr. Speaker, it’s still only half full because this government can’t staff it.”
She pointed out 18 job postings for nurses, including psychiatric nurses, in the facility. That left “upwards of 70 beds unoccupied, 70 beds that have practically never opened.”
In his response, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Everett Hindley said “this government is proud to have opened the new Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford in 2019.
“That was a 100-year-old facility that the members opposite, when they were in government, did not replace and did not make a priority for the people of this province … ."
Hindley acknowledged they “do have some beds that are not operational. They’re all fully funded, and we’re working to staff up those beds.” He also pointed to efforts to increase the number of registered psychiatric nurses being trained in the province.
“It’s important to note that for a number of years, nearly a decade, we weren’t training or graduating any registered psychiatric nurses, Mr. Speaker, as that program was shut down by the former government. We brought that program back in 2008, and we continue to build upon that program so we can fill some of the gaps that existed when we had the opportunity to form government in 2007. We’re committed to continuing to do that work … .”
April 6, during a meeting of Human Services Committee, Hindley also faced questions from Mowat over staffing at Sask. Hospital.
In the account recorded in Hansard, Hindley responded there were 188 fully-funded mental health beds.
“There’s still some staff we’re recruiting to open the remaining beds, the mental health beds,” he said. When asked by Mowat which staff in particular, Hindley responded it was “primarily nurses.”
The issue of open beds at Saskatchewan Hospital had erupted over the last several days after CBC News reports of an individual who had burned down his parents' house and was charged with arson. He needed a psychological assessment but his parents claimed he was not provided a placement at Saskatchewan Hospital because there was “no room” at the facility.
In response to SASKTODAY.ca’s question about how many beds are in use, the Saskatchewan Health Authority issued this statement:
“The number of available beds at any given time fluctuates based on not only staffing, but individual needs of each patient, type of admission being requested, discharge plans of existing patients in existing beds, COVID and physical space.
“As of this moment, SHNB has 214 beds operational. This includes 48 of the 96 corrections beds dedicated to offenders who are experiencing serious mental health issues and 166 of the 188 beds on the non-corrections health program area. Note that this number … can change at any time.
“It is also important to note that admission to those beds is not one-size-fits-all due to the nature of this particular facility.
“It is important to know that SHNB is not the only mental health care facility to which an individual may be referred. As stated above, admission depends on the assessment and needs of each individual patient and many other factors to consider at the time.
“The SHA is working with many partners to recruit staff to help open additional beds at SHNB.”
