Sask. premier says pandemic-delayed healthcare services will restart soon, NDP wants to see details

REGINA -

Healthcare services that were delayed due to the fourth wave of COVID-19 will resume over the next few weeks, according to the provincial government. However, one Saskatoon family is still concerned about their child’s care.

Graham Dickson and Laura Weins were told in the summer that their infant daughter Helen could have cerebral palsy – she isn’t hitting common milestones for an 11-month-old, still unable to crawl or even sit on her own.

The family is waiting for an MRI to either rule out or confirm the muscular disorder and for corrective eye surgery, which have both been paused because of service slowdowns.

Helen was attending physiotherapy appointments, but six weeks ago her parents were told her appointments would be cancelled indefinitely because the therapists they were working with were being redeployed.

“We knew we would have to make sacrifices, just like everyone else during COVID, maybe wait a bit longer for an MRI … but the one thing that we did have, that was incredibly beneficial, was physiotherapy and occupational therapy,” said Dickson.

“It was making a real difference for her.”

Graham Dickson holds his daughter Helen. Doctors suspect Helen could have cerebral palsy. (Courtesy: Graham Dickson)

During question period on Wednesday, Premier Scott Moe said non-surgical healthcare services – including physiotherapy for children – would slowly begin resuming over the next few weeks.

Moe said 50 per cent of workers who have been redeployed on hold will return to their position by next week and the province hopes to return 90 per cent of redeployed workers by the end of the month.

“Finally, Mr. Speaker, we are getting to a place in this province where we are going to be able to not only resume those services, but look at how we can get our surgical capacity back up running, Mr. Speaker, and get those people back in the queue as well,” said Moe during question period, referencing a rise in vaccinations and decline in active COVID-19 cases, along with hospitalizations, as factors in the restart.

Helen’s parents said a resumption of services doesn’t mean their daughter will be first in line for care, saying a pause in services doesn’t mean there has been a pause in demand.

“We don’t know where Helen is on that list. We know that there’s lots of other kids who’ve been waiting and we know that waitlist has grown and we can’t make up that time that she’s lost or that other children have lost,” said Weins.

Saskatchewan’s Opposition said they want to see healthcare workers who work with children head back to their usual positions first and they want the plan referenced during question period to be set in stone.

“We heard some oral reference to a plan today, I want to see it written down. I want to see it resourced. I won’t believe it ‘til I see it,” said NDP leader Ryan Meili.

Health Minister Paul Merriman, who met with Helen’s parents after question period, said pediatric and youth positions will be prioritized and said around 36 positions are returning next week to the centre where Helen goes to therapy.

He added he’s asked Helen’s parents to follow up with his office if her therapy doesn’t restart by next week.

Merriman said he hopes to get Helen’s family out of this situation as soon as he possibly can, explaining that his family experienced similar medical challenges with his daughter in the early 2000s.

“I try to understand what they’re going through, from real-life experience of myself and from other families I’ve talked to that have been challenged with kids that have some physical or cognitive challenges. It’s not easy.”

With files from CTV Regina’s Allison Bamford