Sask. to review new standards for long-term care homes
On Tuesday, the federal government announced it will be working with provinces and territories to implement new standards in long-term care homes.
One of the new standards would see each resident getting close to four hours of direct care, something Barbara Cape, Service Employees' International Union West (SEIU West) president, said will not happen overnight.
“If we have enough staff, we can slow down that care, we can take our time with residents, we can do informed consent, we can do trauma based care,” Cape explained.
Health Minister Paul Merriman said the province is already working to adapt to the new standards.
“We have worked very quickly to make sure that there are a process in place,” Merriman said. “We're going to study these federal guidelines and make sure that they complement what we already are doing in Saskatchewan. We don't want to have a weaker system; we want to have a stronger system.”
Cape said healthcare workers should be held to the same standards not just across the province, but the country.
“Their ability to provide skilled quality care should be no different across the province and ultimately, I don't think residents and their families should be expecting any different sorts of care, no matter where they are,” Cape said.
Adding federal guidelines will be a positive step for the national healthcare system, according to Cape.
“If we can lift the standard all across the country, part of it is we're not going to be stealing healthcare workers from each other,” she said.
Merriman added that Minister Everett Hindley would be assessing the review to determine where the province stands within the country.
“He is going to have that review and be able to see where exactly we line up and where we can do some things better,” Merriman explained.
Premier Scott Moe, along with the rest of the Canada’s premiers will be traveling to Ottawa next week to sit down with the Prime Minister Trudeau and discuss funding healthcare, which Cape hopes will lead to better care for all residents in long-term care homes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.