NDP alleges hundreds of Lloydminster newborn transfers may have been avoidable

battlefordsNOW reached out to Border Pulse about the source of its reporting. The outlet said the full 261-page report was “given by a source” and is not publicly available.

In a statement responding to questions about the allegation, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health said Lloydminster Hospital has “a highly professional and skilled labour and delivery unit” comparable to those at similar regional facilities.

The ministry said babies who require neonatal intensive care are transferred to tertiary facilities that provide those services.

“Staffing and safety considerations are always paramount in these instances. Only a small percentage of newborns would need to be transferred for this higher level of care,” the statement said.

The ministry did not directly say whether the NDP’s figure was accurate or whether any newborn transfers could have been avoided with additional staffing.

The public summary does, however, identify ways the health system could reduce some patient transfers and provide more care closer to home.

It said further training for emergency department physicians and staff to manage psychiatric cases, along with training nurses to support higher-acuity patients, could reduce transfers and reliance on higher level care facilities.

The assessment also points to a possible primary care access clinic during peak periods, longer primary care hours and greater use of nurse practitioners and registered nurses in clinics.

Expanded community services, including rehabilitation, specialized therapies, mental health care, immunizations and home visits for new mothers, could also reduce reliance on hospital and emergency care, it said.

The review examined health services across a 150-kilometre catchment area surrounding Lloydminster, with a population of about 217,000 in 2021. Nearly two-thirds lived in Alberta and just over one-third in Saskatchewan.

The city’s location on the provincial boundary means health planning, funding and service delivery must be coordinated between two provincial systems.

The assessment said, “Improving interprovincial reporting, funding, and decision making, along with dual licensure and certification of health professionals can improve timely access to care.”

NDP rural and remote health critic Jared Clarke said healthcare workers across Saskatchewan have been warning about chronic understaffing, burnout and recruitment challenges.

“Instead of listening to those warnings and building a healthcare system that works, the Sask. Party has allowed staffing shortages to become the norm,” Clarke said.

Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the two provinces are committed to working together to provide consistent health services across the Lloydminster region.

“We want residents in the Lloydminster area to receive the right care at the right time and as close to home as possible,” Cockrill said.

Cockrill said he regularly speaks with Lloydminster MLA Colleen Young, Mayor Gerald Albers and other local leaders “to figure out solutions and remove roadblocks to care.”

He said that work will continue with Alberta ministers to align future investments for patients in the region. Also, Cockrill did not address the NDP’s allegation about potentially avoidable newborn transfers.

Despite identifying opportunities for improvement, the assessment said overall service levels are similar to those in other communities of Lloydminster’s size.

It does not commit either province to opening a new clinic, extending service hours or implementing any of the other changes it identifies.

The assessment said the priorities require further review and evaluation, with any recommended actions to be considered by provincial service providers on a case-by-case basis.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by battlefordsNOW staff

NDP alleges hundreds of Lloydminster newborn transfers may have been avoidable

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