A list of affected hospital services in west-central Saskatchewan details nearly 800 instances of reduced services including in Lloydminster.
In the case of the Lloydminster CT scan machine of which half of the price tag was paid for with Lloydminster fundraising, the CT scan has not been available on various occasions dating to Nov. 2023.
The list was obtained by the Saskatchewan NDP via a freedom of information request shows. The SHA has declined to say precisely when the CT scan services began to be affected due to staff shortages.
The West-Central Closures list shows that the Lloydminster CT scan service was impacted on over 20 occasions between Nov. 2023 to May 2024. This does not include the three reported cases in Nov. 2024, one of which the family is claiming resulted in the death of their loved one.
Many of the staff shortages were related to maternity leave. The SHA has declined to answer why it was unable to better manage its leave allocation for staff.
Addressing the death of Roger Ogram on Nov. 16, 2024, the Sask NDP says, “Patients needing emergency care are being turned away due to CT scan closures. (Ogram was) involved in a car accident (and) rerouted to North Battleford, where the CT scanner was also closed that day. He tragically died before receiving care.”
The list shows that between Dec. 2021 and Feb. 2022, Basic radiography and laboratory services were impacted on 84 occasions. Next on the list is 25 instances in the summer of 2021 when medical services were impacted. Overall, there are 240 instances of various services at the Lloydminster Hospital being impacted including the CT Scan between 2021-2024.
Kristine Weisbeck, a Lloydminster patient advocate and first responder puts the situation in perspective.
“Healthcare in Lloydminster is encountering considerable difficulties stemming from resource shortages across various sectors, most notably insufficient staffing that has led to the unavailability of the CT scanner, which the community contributed to by covering half of its cost.”
Like others, she is following the channels to raise her concerns.
“My efforts to express my worries regarding these urgent issues to our local MLA, Colleen Young, have not been very fruitful, as I have only received a response indicating that she requires additional time to address them.”
Vicki Mowat, Sask NDP Shadow Minister for Health says, “The people of Saskatchewan, their health and well-being, are being taken for granted by this Sask. Party government. The longer the Sask. Party is in power, the further our friends and family will have to drive for basic healthcare.”
Staff are scheduled to be returning from leave at the Lloydminster Hospital, however, James Winkel, media relations with the SHA says, “We anticipate occasional disruptions to service in February due to staffing challenges, and to allow for required maintenance to be performed. Patients will be notified of any disruptions.”
