The NDP’s Rural and Remote Health Critic says the provincial government’s Recruitment and Retention plan isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, as healthcare centres across west central Saskatchewan continue to face service closures.

Meara Conway says the MLAs in the Lloydminster, Wilkie, and Kerrobert areas need to come out of hiding and address the staffing shortages that are forcing patients to drive to larger centres.

“Gartner, Thorsteinson and Young need to stand up to Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill. Drive down the same roads your constituents take to North Battleford for care — and do your jobs,” she urges.

NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat says patients in Lloydminster are being turned away due to CT scan closures, emergency services at the Wilkie and District Health Centre have been closed for over three years, and in Kerrobert, local ambulance services are unreliable due to short staffing.

She adds that one Lloydminster man involved in a car accident died before receiving care, as he was rerouted to North Battleford, where the CT scanner was also closed that day.

“No one should have to drive three hours to get access to healthcare when their family is in an emergency,” Mowat assures.

She adds that resources in Biggar, Unity, and Kindersley are being drawn on and depleted, and ultimately increasing wait times and closures at those centres, as well.

“It’s all interconnected and it’s all a mess,” she admits.

Conway says she has attempted to reach out to Lloydminster MLA Colleen Young regarding the issue, to which she replied that she needed more time to address it.