Sask. NDP say province used FOI 'loophole' to avoid disclosing physician, specialist numbers

NDP want transparency on Sask. healthcare workers WATCH: The NDP opposition and the Sask. Party spared over healthcare transparency during Question Period Thursday.

The opposition NDP says the Saskatchewan government is not disclosing how many doctors and specialists are currently working in the province.

According to the NDP, the province is not making The Medical Services Branch Statistical Report widely available and is instead delaying the public release of the report.

The report shows how many doctors and specialists are working in Saskatchewan and also reveals annual recruitment and retention rates for healthcare workers in the province.

The NDP claims the report is usually tabled and published online by December.

“The Opposition FOI-ed (asked for a freedom of information request) the report but the Moe government denied the request, using a loophole in the FOI law to bury it until May 31,” the NDP said in an email.

Since 2019, the report has always been made public near the end of the fiscal year or less than two months after the end of the year, according to the NDP.

The NDP’s deputy leader Vicki Mowat said the report should be released immediately and accused the Sask. Party of burying the report until after the release of the budget and conclusion of session.

Health Minister Everett Hindley said more than 1,000 more physicians are working in Saskatchewan since the Sask. Party became government in 2007.

“A 62 per cent increase in physicians overall, 100 per cent increase in pediatricians, 79 per cent increase in specialists, more general practitioners, more psychiatrists,” Hindley said.

Hindley stated that in the past 28 months, 107 family physicians and 155 specialists have been recruited to work in Saskatchewan.

Mowat said if Hindley’s numbers were true, the province should have released the numbers.

“This is information that people are entitled to, the minister is burying the report plain and simple,” Mowat said.

“Saskatchewan people deserve to know how many doctors have been lost under this Sask. Party’s watch, we have a right to that information,” Mowat added.

When asked if he would make the report public, Hindley reiterated investments that the Sask. Party has made into healthcare and mentioned a new deal for physicians reached between the province and Saskatchewan Medical Association.

“The minister is pulling out all the stops to keep Saskatchewan people in the dark about the state of our healthcare system. With each passing day, this tired and out of touch government becomes more allergic to transparency,” Mowat said.

“This is basic information about the state of our healthcare system and it’s unacceptable for the Sask. Party to keep it under wraps until our session is over, or maybe after a spring election,” Mowat added.

Hindley also challenged the opposition to reveal what its plans for healthcare in Saskatchewan would be and challenged the NDP to elaborate on its previous election plan to hire 450 nurses over four years, claiming the province has surpassed that number.

"The Moe government is currently pushing less credible healthcare recruitment numbers that often do not take into account the number of healthcare workers who have left Saskatchewan or retired, or often try to pass off prospective employees or open positions as recruitments," an NDP news release said.