Is the government going to make adjustments to shorten the progressively longer wait times in Winnipeg's Emergency Rooms?

On Thursday March 17, I asked the Minister of Health to tell us the adjustments which are being made to shorten the lengthening wait times in Winnipeg’s hospital Emergency Rooms.

Increase in ER Wait Times - Request for Reduction Plan

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Deputy Speaker, on October 2017, the Conservatives began implementing hospital transformation to reduce patient wait times. Then the longest wait most patients could expect at the Health Sciences Centre emergency room was 3.6 hours.

The plan was to dramatically reduce wait times, but instead it dramatically lengthened them. By January last year, 2021, the wait time had increased to 6.4 hours and this January to 9.5 hours. Similar increases have occurred at Grace and St. Boniface emergency rooms.

Wait times are going in the wrong direction.

What adjustments are the government making to address the dismal failure of its efforts during the last five years?

Hon. Audrey Gordon (Minister of Health): Deputy Speaker, NDP, members opposite: staffing shortages and the highest wait times in the country is the reason why our government undertook system- health-care transformation.

The member for River Heights is forgetting that we have just gone through, as a province, a very difficult time, two years of a pandemic. He's forgotten that. Maybe that's a good thing. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Manitobans can recover from the pandemic. We will do it in a compassionate and understanding way. We will lead the province into a brighter and more prosperous future, and I invite the member from River Heights to join us in that future.

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Comparison between Manitoba and South Dakota shows dramatic impact of Physical Distancing

Manitoba implemented physical distancing measures in mid-March. South Dakota has still not made physical distancing mandatory. The result is a dramatic difference in the incidence of covid-19 viral infections between the two jurisdictions. This graph shows the number of people with Covid-19 infections from March 27 to April 14. Manitoba ( red line ) started leveling off about April 4 and has seen only a small increase in Covid-19 infections since then. South Dakota ( blue line ) has seen a dramatic increase in Covid-19 infections since April 4. Those who are skeptical of the impact of physical distancing in Manitoba should look at this graph! Data are from the Johns Hopkins daily tabulations

Pushing for safe consumption sites and safe supply to reduce overdose deaths

On Monday June 20th, Thomas Linner of the Manitoba Health Coalition, Arlene Last-Kolb Regional Director of Moms Stop the Harm and Winnipeg City Councillor Sherri Rollins were at the Manitoba Legislature to advocate for better measures to reduce deaths from drug overdoses, most particularly for safe consumption sites and for a safe supply, measures which can reduce overdose deaths.

Being able to participate matters - Let’s build a more inclusive, accessible Manitoba

Too often, our homes, buildings, and outdoor spaces are designed without sufficient consideration given to how they will impact little people, those with large bodies, or those with disabilities. Manitoba should become a leader in designing and building new structures so they’re comfortable and accessible to all. Further, the province needs to do more to adapt our existing infrastructure, so that it meets everyone’s needs. The design of our built environment makes daily living a challenge for too many. A friend, who uses a wheelchair, must call ahead wherever she goes to ensure she can enter a restaurant, store, salon, etc. A young person in River Heights has a struggle each fall to make sure that with his cerebral palsy he is able to get the support he needs to do well in school. A large-bodied man I know has been bedridden for five months because he lacks access to a usable lift or wheelchair. Samantha Trubyk, President of the Little People ...

The Gerrard Report

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