Opposition calls for release of reports into long-term care homes

The Opposition says the government is stalling on the release of reports into the state of long-term care homes in Saskatchewan.

"We've been waiting for months for these reports and the minister needs to table them now," said the NDP's health critic on Thursday after asking about the reports during Question Period for the second day in a row.

"This is a long-term problem we've had around lack of care in our senior homes because of short-staffing," Danielle Chartier said. "We've seen seniors, our parents and our grandparents, not get baths, not get the attention they need."

Since 2013, the government has sent health region CEOs out to visit long-term care homes and report back publicly.

• CEOs tour Sask. long-term care facilities; problems persist

They've highlighted some major problems in the past — from a lack of baths to residents being told to soil themselves when staff can not help them to the bathroom on time.

This year's reports were due in to the government by the end of September, but they have not yet been made public.

Health Minister Jim Reiter said the ministry is still waiting on at least one health region's report.

"Our government's the government that initiated the CEO tours," Reiter said. "We're the ones that make them public. We will be transparent with it; it's just going to be a matter of time."