Saskatchewan Health Authority announces new care beds for Saskatoon, Regina

In the midst of long wait times, short staffing and overcrowded hospitals, the Saskatchewan Health Authority announced new care beds as part of its action plans for the cities of Saskatoon and Regina.

On Thursday, the SHA announced 260 new beds for Saskatoon and Regina to speed up patient discharge and transitions from acute care to other care settings.

1:16 Sask. announces largest budget increase to health-care funding

“The actions that have been implemented through the Capacity Pressure Action Plans are having a meaningful impact on our ability to address capacity pressures in our largest urban centres,” said SHA chief executive Andrew Will.

“We are committed to continuing to support and listen to our staff and physicians, who have provided excellent care to patients throughout the current capacity pressures.”

According to the SHA, 84 long-term care beds will be added in Saskatoon, bringing the number of added community care beds to 159. Forty of the beds are expected to be operational by May 1 with the remaining 44 beds available by June 3.

Twenty of the new beds are currently promised as transitional beds at Regina Lutheran Home. This is in addition to 27 previously announced community-based beds in Regina.

On Wednesday, the SHA saw a 5.6 per cent increase in its budget for the 2024-25 year during the release of the provincial budget. The additional $30 million invested into the SHA will help push the action plans forward.

The SHA said it is also trying to recruit an additional 290 full-time equivalent staff members, including 107 nurses.

It said that since the initial implementation of the plans, it has hired more than 156 additional full time equivalent staff across both cities, including more than 60 in nursing positions.

More to come. 

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