Plans for a new Yorkton Regional Hospital continue to be delayed after the 2022-23 Sask. budget left out any update on the promise of a new build, news that comes as a disappointment to area politicians.
YORKTON The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is calling for the government to save microbiology services at the Yorkton Regional Hospital lab. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is cutting microbiology testing from the hospital, which means starting Sunday, microbiology samples from the Yorkton and area will now be sent to Regina for processing. Although preliminary testing will be done in Yorkton, bacterial samples will be sent to Regina for cultures. When results are available, they will be emailed to the doctor. CUPE believes this will result in an increased workload for staff at the Regina lab and will cause delays that could have life-threatening consequences.
However, that is presently not the case, nor is it likely to be in the next couple of years. “We don’t have a staffing problem now. We did, we have had staffing concerns, but not now,” said Ross Fisher, Executive Director with the Health Foundation, who first brought the proposed move to the attention of Yorkton This Week. Fisher said last fall three new microbiology laboratory technician students began training and will soon have completed that and will be offered positions here. In addition, four techs are “coming back off mat (ernity) leave,” said Fisher. And while there has been concerns about aging staff retiring, Fisher said he has learned only one technician is eligible to retire in the next two years, and that individual has indicated they are not looking to leave at this time.