Saskatchewan Health Authority releases Saskatoon Capacity Pressure Action Plan
Today, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) released the Saskatoon Capacity Pressure Action Plan (SCPAP). Designed by the SHA with support and collaboration from the Ministry of Health, the SCPAP outlines several concrete actions to alleviate and address the immediate pressures facing hospital capacity in Saskatoon, while introducing long-term measures to meet the current and future needs of Saskatchewan residents accessing health care services in Saskatoon.
“We acknowledge that current hospital capacity pressures create a difficult environment for patients who are seeking care in our emergency departments, and for staff and paramedics who have continued to provide excellent care,” said Andrew Will, CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. “With the release of this action plan, the SHA is committed to taking concrete action to address the immediate capacity pressures facing staff and patients, while also implementing long-term solutions to strengthen health services in Saskatoon.”
Previous investments from the Government of Saskatchewan have enabled the SHA to take significant steps in adding capacity in Saskatoon, including an addition of 84 beds at Royal University Hospital, additional emergency staffing within St. Paul’s Emergency Department, and the addition of three 24/7 staffed ambulances in the community. Additional significant efforts underway in collaboration with the Government of Saskatchewan include the Health Human Resources Action Plan and the construction of the future Saskatoon Urgent Care Centre, both initiatives that will have a significant benefit to health service capacity in Saskatoon.
To complement these previous initiatives, the SCPAP outlines several measures to provide immediate support to the hardworking health professionals providing tremendous patient care under difficult circumstances. The SCPAP contains a comprehensive list of actions that the SHA will undertake, categorized by actions that will be undertaken immediately, in the next 90-days, and in the next three to six months. Key actions throughout these time periods are specifically focused on ensuring patients are receiving appropriate care within the appropriate setting. This includes adding capacity through additional permanent and temporary acute care beds in hospital settings, and supplementing this capacity in community for patients requiring an alternative level of care that can be provided outside of hospital facilities. The SCPAP also provides measures for the temporary deployment of staffing to support this added capacity, while also providing dedicated staff supports to facilitate hospital discharges and care transitions for patients to receive the appropriate level of care in the appropriate care setting.
Anyone that needs medical care will continue to receive care despite these pressures. The SHA encourages all patients with urgent and emergent medical concerns to access emergency health services at a hospital emergency department or by dialing 911.
Throughout the implementation of the Action Plan, the SHA commits to continued engagement with staff to hear their ideas, understand their needs and ensure we are working collaboratively to provide the best possible care to our patients. SHA senior leadership will continue to visit front line care areas to ensure we can remove barriers and challenges as they occur and adapt the plan to ensure needs are well known and responded to.