On Wednesday, Nov. 28, MLA for Saskatoon Massey Place and NDP health critic Cam Broten questioned the Minister of Health about the reduction in hours at the Kipling Memorial Health Centre.
"Does the minister share my concern about the impact of reduced hours at the Kipling Memorial Health Centre?"
"We're certainly aware of the reduction in hours at Kipling, Mr. Speaker. I know that the health region is working through that as they look to recruit additional doctors and additional providers, Mr. Speaker. And we certainly have supported all health regions and all communities by increasing the number of training seats in this province, Mr. Speaker, increasing the number of residencies, having more than 200 more physicians," replied the Honorable Dustin Duncan.
Since the debate, there has been a further reduction in healthcare services available to residents of Kipling and the surrounding area. Dr. Johan Steyn, the town's remaining full-time physician, will no longer be practicing medicine in Kipling.
Dr. Steyn was unavailable to comment on his departure.
Sun Country Health Region officials acknowledged the loss will place greater pressure on the system and emphasized that several measures are being taken to recruit more healthcare professionals.
Partnering with Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, working within the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) process, engaging private recruitment agencies and efforts to recruit existing candidates were some of the measures listed by Sun Country Health Region CEO, Marga Cugnet.
Cugnet also emphasized that Kipling's hospital facility construction project I still moving forward and is hoping for ground breaking to take place in spring.
