REGINA -- The NDP has released a copy of a report they say shows red flags at a Regina long-term care home during the early stages of a devastating COVID-19 outbreak.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) conducted an Infection Prevention Audit 12 days after a COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Extendicare Parkside in Regina.
The NDP Opposition obtained the findings of a visit to the facility on Dec. 2 through a freedom of information request.
Listed under a column titled “needing support” in the document, inspectors wrote staff report being “harassed” if they needed to stay home because they were symptomatic.
The report also suggested that some staff may have been limited to a single mask per shift.
NDP Critic for Seniors Matt Love called the report “very concerning.”
“Of course to see this news from December 2 – just as things were really starting to head downhill – is just another one of those warning signs obviously this government and the minister failed to act on,” said Love.
The SHA assumed a co-management role at Extendicare Parkside a few days later. Three dozen residents had died of COVID-19 at the facility by the end of December.
Minister of Seniors Everett Hindley said the inspection report never came across his desk.
“What I can say though is that at that point in time in December, we were being briefed by the SHA and by ministry officials on the developing situation with respect to the COVID-19 outbreak at Extendicare Parkside in Regina,” said Hindley. “It was shortly thereafter that the SHA entered into a co-management agreement with Extendicare to provide additional support.”
The SHA is no longer involved in the co-management of Extendicare Parkside but says it continues to check in and is confident that things are being done properly.
