The Editor:
A message to Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party.
You continue to say the government is working on improving healthcare in Saskatchewan. We’ve continually heard how wait times for surgeries are reduced. I remember how the Sask. Party said eight years ago they would “fix the health system,” and that the NDP had made a mess of healthcare and the system was too full of administration.
Did you make any real changes? I for one, would say no. And, I suggest, if change does exist, it is at the cost of other people’s health or access to services.
It appears to me that administration has only gotten bigger and they are paid more.
Wait times, by your own admission, went down but are trending back to longer waits again. I call this no gain for more pain.
Why is it that here in Estevan, St. Joseph’s hospital has a dialysis unit that only operates part of the week and then many of the people who need the service must travel to Regina to have treatment for the balance of each week? Wouldn’t it make good sense to hire another trained technician or two? If you’re not able to hire them, then possibly train some?
After reading Sun Country Health District’s financial reports that show the CEO is paid nearly $5 for every person in the district ($273,290/59,984=$4.56) and has a support staff of five vice-presidents. They are collectively paid an amount of nearly $1 million ($986,310). Remembering our province has 13 health regions, they are all run with excessive administrations, in my opinion.
You brought in Lean to teach all the staff how to make a cup of coffee and where to place the pens or staplers on the counter or desk. What did that cost?
I hope Mr. Duncan, the Minister of Health is enjoying his relaxation time. But to be fair, no one cuts a cake or ribbon as good as him.
Rocky Weinrauch
Estevan
