The patient parking lot was full at Regina Urgent Care Centre on Monday as residents sought care ahead of the facility’s closure for Christmas Day. The centre will remain closed on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day due to staffing shortages — a situation raising concern from the NDP. Jared Clarke, NDP MLA, said the closures highlight broader challenges in Saskatchewan’s healthcare system. “This is highly concerning as we roll into the holiday season and I think it makes clear that healthcare has never been worse in Saskatchewan than it is now,” he said. Several rural emergency rooms were also listed on the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) website as expecting service disruptions of varying lengths, with the list updated daily. Clarke added the closures leave families in rural areas facing uncertainty. “I think of families in rural Saskatchewan who during the holidays have to make a choice which is the worst version of a guessing game imaginable, ‘is my local hospital open or closed,’” he said. The SHA said it recognizes the importance of accessible emergency services and the impacts disruptions have on residents and staff. Efforts to recruit and retain staff continue. Both the SHA and the NDP expressed appreciation for healthcare professionals working during the holiday period.
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