Meara Conway, NDP shadow minister for Rural and Remote Health speaks to reporters during her kickoff stop in North Battleford on April. 23. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

NDP Opposition

NDP shadow minister addresses health care concerns, allegations of neo-natal transfers out of country

Apr 23, 2025 | 4:20 PM

Standing behind a podium fronted by a sign that read ‘Time to Deliver,’ the visibly pregnant Meara Conway, NDP shadow minister for Rural and Remote Health said it was no accident they were launching in Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill’s constituency.

“We are seeing increased service disruptions to maternity wards, to acute care services, to diagnostics to CT scanners and more,” she said. “People are being forced to travel further and wait longer just to get basic care.”

Conway said she’s heard from frontline staff who say patients are made to travel for their care across the province, with little notice to clinicians who are pressured to prepare. The frequency of the disruption has led to added pressure on the hospital in Prince Albert.

Despite concerns in travel, there is little evidence of neo-natal (NICU) patients being transferred to North Dakota hospitals, as alleged in a news report last week.

Global News interviewed Saskatchewan Union of Nurses President Tracy Zambory who alleged overcapacity at neo-natal intensive care units led to mothers and babies being transferred to the northern state. The Saskatchewan NDP laid the claims at Cockrill’s feet.

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Cockrill, during last week’s question period, said the capacity levels were due to a “surge of usage at the NICU at Regina General the last couple of weeks” after multiple premature babies were delivered along with twins.

“That does put pressure on NICU beds – nobody has been sent out of province due to capacity issues over the last several weeks,” he said. “I see the opposition members in the NDP and even the NDP Leader Carla Beck putting out that kids are being sent to North Dakota – that is inaccurate information. It’s irresponsible to spread that information.”

The battlefordsNOW team phoned multiple contacts in the state including a non-profit health foundation, which could not substantiate the union’s claims beyond one case from a number of years ago.

During Conway’s press conference, battlefordsNOW asked whether she was able to confirm the nurses union information.

“I understand they walked that back to some extent. They confirmed that transfers happen but weren’t able to point to a specific NICU patient that was transferred to North Dakota,” she said. “We’re focusing really on the crisis in our NICU, which is absolutely real, to some extent. I think that was a bit of a distraction; certainly transfers happen.”

Conway explained the opposition party knows of various NICU transfers throughout the province (Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina).

Cockrill acknowledged there are issues but said expectant mothers in the southern half of the province will have healthcare professionals ready for them and their babies.

“There are capacity challenges. We’re aware of those, we’re working on that,” he said.

The case for North Battleford

A spreadsheet provided by the NDP reported from 2019 to 2024, there were 216 service disruptions to the Battlefords Union Hospital according to information obtained from an application under the Freedom of Information Act.

“It shows that there were maternity ward, obstetrical disruptions for more than 500 days across rural Saskatchewan and for emergency and acute care services, more than 4,000 days,” Conway said.

Meanwhile, Conway said health care workers are reporting decreased morale.

“Often, you can’t access trauma imaging after 4:30 p.m. in North Battleford, people have to go elsewhere in an emergency,” she said.

“There’s only three (Intensive Care Unit) beds, internal medicine is facing a lot of challenges, imaging,” added Conway.

This year, the provincial budget included a decrease of $17 million and the shadow minister said due to the cuts, the services had led to instances where patients are unable to get services.

“We’ve heard stories of course of mothers giving birth on the highway, people in life and death situations having to be rerouted to hospitals because of closures and not making it on time,” she said.

Cockrill said it was for this reason; the SHA meet every morning to understand where the capacity pressures are, who are in the Saskatchewan wards and how to ensure optimal level of care.

“There’s challenges in many different facilities, that’s exactly why we have a very ambitious health human resource action plan to address recruitment challenges, make sure that positions can be filled,” he said.

When asked about what needs to be done to prevent closures, Conway said investment was key.

“We believe in local autonomy, we believe there’s not a one size fits all approach, we need to listen to local voices and we believe in humility,” she said. “We’re the birthplace of Medicare, our communities deserve better than closures, chaos and chronic short staffing,” she said.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: juleslovett.bsky.social