The opposition New Democrats have released yet another internal memo on Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford as they continue to attack the government on the facility’s construction woes.
On Friday, the NDP opposition sent the News-Optimist an internal memo dated March 3, 2020, from Saskatchewan Health Authority. The memo was directed to “all staff and patients” from Linda Shynkaruk, director of Sask. Hospital, and the stated topic was “water issues”.
The memo reads as follows: “During a planned flush of our water system today, a couple of adverse events occurred resulting in the following items requiring your urgent attention and cooperation.”
Six bullet points were then mentioned. The first stated they would “upgrade to a FULL drinking water advisory – please DO NOT DRINK or ingest the water (this includes brushing teeth, washing fruit of vegetables with the water etc.). When washing your hands, follow up with hand sanitizer. Patients who have open wounds/sores, are NOT to be bathed or showered. They MUST be given a bed bath.”
The other points in the memo outlined that alternate water supplies will continue to be provided; all traffic through the basement is restricted and only those essential staff will be allowed access; that deliveries will be done through the main entrance or as otherwise arranged, that all patients personal laundry shall be done on the nurses units by nursing staff until further notice, and to “please use clean linen only on an as emergent/as needed basis until further notice.”
The photo of the memo also had written on it in red marker ink: “give pts cups of water to brush teeth! Thx.”
Opposition leader Ryan Meili and health critic Vicki Mowat both criticized the government in a news release sent out Friday, as well as at a news conference held in Saskatoon that same afternoon.
“This hospital, from day one, has been a real problem," said Meili to reporters.
"Never fully open, never fully utilized by patients. Week after week, problem after problem. They've had to replace the roof. Now, people are being told they can't drink the water, can't brush their teeth with the water. Bathing has been restricted. People are told to wash their hands and then use hand sanitizer afterwards. So clearly, not the kind of situation we want in a hospital."
Meili leveled the blame at the P3 model for the issues.
"This has been trouble from the beginning when it comes to the choices made of how to build this hospital. They went down the road of a P3 model, and once again they went with an out-of-province, out of country company to do the build. So we've got people in North Battleford who should be working building this hospital, who would be dedicated to building it top-quality. They're left unemployed. Instead we've got a problem building."
While Meili was critical of Sask. Hospital and the Access Prairies Partnership consortium that was responsible for the build, his criticism mainly seemed directed at another project: the expansion and rebuild of the Prince Albert hospital, a $300 million addition which Premier Scott Moe had announced the government's commitment to earlier that morning.
Meili noted the Sask Hospital issues were relevant because "the Sask Party announced a plan to do a rebuild of the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert. From all appearances it looks as if they're going down the same P3 model. We're going to have another project built by an out of province company."
"We should build them with our workers and our companies," Meili added.
The NDP also noted in its news release Friday that “that the company managing the P3 facility recently had its credit rating downgraded by Moody’s credit agency.” This is referring to Access Prairies Partnership, which was downgraded in December to "Baa1" from "A3".
“One company has already gone bankrupt while building this facility, now another one is facing financial stress, and the Health Authority appears to have bypassed the opportunity to reduce the value of the contract,” said Mowat in a statement. “This P3 model isn’t working for North Battleford, and it won’t work for the promised hospital in Prince Albert.”
