Private clinic selection process for hip and knee surgeries questioned by Sask. NDP
Saskatchewan residents face the longest wait times in Canada for hip and knee replacements. Those waiting the longest are being sent to a private Calgary clinic for surgery. The NDP opposition is questioning why.
“A part of the reason we’re facing the situation is because of a significant number of cases that were backed up through the pandemic,” Minister of Health Everett Hindley said.
The average Canadian wait time for a hip replacement is 131 days and in Saskatchewan, it’s 232. It’s faster in every other province, especially in the west. For knee replacements, Canadians wait an average of 161 days. It’s double that in Saskatchewan and again, it’s quicker in every other province.
“I don’t know why in comparison to other provinces and territories why it would be that way,” Hindley said.
To alleviate the backlog, Saskatchewan signed a $6 million deal last year with a private Alberta clinic to perform extra surgeries. The NDP question the clinic selection process.
“That private clinic has donated over $14,000 to the Sask. Party and what did they get, Mr. Speaker? They got a $6 million dollar sole source contract for hip and knee surgeries,” said NDP MLA Meara Conway.
Hindley said that it was done through a request for proposals but later said he had been misinformed.
“It’s my understanding what I’m told now is that this was the only company that would be able to provide what they call short stay hip and knee surgeries and as a result it wasn’t an RFP and they were able to contact directly with them. That’s the explanation I had here from officials just a few moments ago,” he explained.
A year ago, the government estimated that 250 hip and knee surgeries would be performed in Alberta over a 12 month period. Only 90 were done so the government has extended the contract an additional six months to use up the credit balance.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.