This week, CUPE 5430 Region 4 health care workers met with the MLA for Estevan-Big Muddy Lori Carr to discuss the challenges facing frontline workers. Carr is also the Government House Leader and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health. Several frontline health care workers attended the meeting and shared their experiences with Carr.

“Our members worked tirelessly through the COVID-19 crisis and are now working through the short staffing crisis,” said Arlene Picard, general vice-president for Region 4. “We simply do not have enough staff to provide the services rural communities rely on. Frontline health care workers need a wage increase and significant improvements to working conditions.”

“We are tired of working short-staffed. We are getting burnt out and are facing more health and safety incidents due to working alone,” said Laurie Hughes, a CCA from Carlyle who has been on WCB for a workplace injury she attributes to short staffing. “When I first started working in the health region 20 years ago, we never had to work short-staffed. Now, it is common to be mandated to work more than 24 hours because there is no one to cover shifts.”

Hughes also spoke about the impact short staffing is having on patients and residents.

“When we are constantly working short-staffed, things slide – cutting residents’ nails, doing their hair, or regular bathing. It is heartbreaking and draining.”

Selena Hegland, an operating room scheduler at St Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan echoed those concerns.

“I came today to ask our political representative to fight for our health care in the smaller communities. We not only need to retain our staff that are here day in and day out, we also need to recruit the next generation, or we will have nobody caring for us when our time comes. I have been and always will be a dedicated health care worker, I can’t afford to retire, but I am getting tired,” said Hegland.

Picard felt the meeting was step in the right direction.

“We thank Ms. Carr for meeting with us. It is important that every member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan should be hearing from their constituents about the health care crisis in Saskatchewan.”