The provincial NDP says there were at least 951 distinct closures over a four-year period in at least 53 hospitals and health centres, not including Saskatoon or Regina.

This covers temporary closures to emergency rooms, hospital labs, surgical theatres and other departments between August 2019 and July 2023. The NDP says the statistics, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, show emergency rooms were hardest hit with the number of closures increasing every year.

An NDP news release quoting the data said emergency rooms had 407 distinct closures covering 3,029 lost days. Basic radiography and laboratory services reported 278 distinct closures amounting to 1,900 lost days.

NDP leader Carla Beck is upset that it took 11 months and some additional prodding from the Information and Privacy Commissioner before the data was finally released on December 8th. That just happened to be one day after the end of the fall sitting of the Legislature.