
CUPE Local 5430 took a stand against bed closures at Parkland Integrated Health Center in Shellbrook, the Premier’s home community, where half of the acute beds were shut down on May 20, 2022 due to short staffing.
“With beds being closed these communities are now having to travel further for care and to see loved ones. We believe this is adding an extra hardship to the elderly, as most of the communities have a large group of elderly people living in their towns, who rely on the Shellbrook facility,” said. Sharon Paul, General Vice-President for Region 2. “Even before the bed closures happened the facility is often on bypass – which means beds are full and new patients can not be accepted. This means patients seeking care would have to travel further for care. And delays could be deadly.”