Lighthouse cuts lead to 'record-breaking' hospital overcrowding, says Sask. NDP
Two Saskatoon hospitals were 116 people over capacity on Friday, 49 waiting at ER
The state of overcrowding at hospitals in Saskatoon was in the spotlight during question period at the Legislative Building in Regina on Monday.
Sask. NDP MLA Danielle Chartier pressed about "record-breaking" hospital overcrowding, saying Royal University Hospital and St. Paul's Hospital were 116 people over capacity on Friday, with 49 people waiting for admission to the ER.
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"That is pretty astounding since this government promised no waits, and is building their new hospitals with tiny waiting rooms," Charter said.
Health Minister Jim Reiter pointed to a "dramatic increase" in Saskatchewan's population of almost 150,000 people since the Sask. Party has been in power, saying it's an added strain to health care facilities.
"We've responded by increasing care bed capacity across the province," Reiter said. "These incidents do arise from time to time."
Lighthouse shelter funding
The Sask. NDP said the overcrowding comes as a consequence of funding cuts to the Lighthouse shelter.
"They're being picked up by the police and instead of people staying at the Lighthouse, they're being dropped off at the Emergency Room," said Sask. NDP MLA Nicole Rancourt.
But Tina Beaudry-Mellor, minister of social services, said no cuts have been made..
"We continue to fund the Lighthouse, the exact same funding as the previous year, and in the exact same way that we fund every other emergency shelter in Saskatchewan," Beaudry-Mellor said.
A few weeks ago, the provincial government announced changes to funding to the Lighthouse, saying it would not provide any new funding to the shelter's stabilization unit because only five people in the program had been able to access stable housing.
Lighthouse officials said Friday that those changes amount to a $700,000 cut.
Beaudry-Mellor said the government will be meeting with the Saskatoon Lighthouse to discuss longer-term sustainable planning.
She added that the government also has a cold weather strategy where anyone who presents themselves to a shelter that's full is either referred to a different shelter or given a meal voucher and hotel room for the night.