Saskatchewan Children Better Served By Changes To Pediatric Services

Based on support from key clinicians, specialists, medical professionals and health leaders, Health Minister Dustin Duncan is confident changes to pediatric services approved yesterday by the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) board will result in safer, better, high quality health care for children.

“Earlier on in this process, I was very clear that no changes would occur unless they improve care for the children who depend on these services,” Duncan said.  “I have received those assurances from key pediatricians, pediatric oncologists, an infection control specialist and others that changes will improve care, safety and better meet the health needs of children in southern Saskatchewan.”

Providing the best possible patient care was the foremost consideration in RQHR’s analysis and recommendations to its board, which followed extensive consultation with medical experts, families, staff and other health care professionals.

“The analysis provided to me by RQHR certainly supported the recommendations,” Duncan said.  “However, on the particularly technical and complex decision around combining pediatric inpatient services in Regina, I sought extra assurances beyond the analysis provided through the consultation process, receiving clear direction from key clinical leaders.” 

Assurances about the efficacy of the changes to pediatric inpatient services in Regina included:

• Dr. Juliet Soper, Head of Pediatrics, RQHR: “I am convinced that the recommendation to amalgamate pediatric services at Regina General Hospital will result in better care for the children of southern Saskatchewan. . . .Children on the pediatric unit at Pasqua Hospital have been disadvantaged for a number of years by lack of supportive services such as dedicated social workers or dieticians, with such services being provided on a case-by-case basis by professionals who spend most of their time working with adults.  Children are not little adults; their needs vary not only with changes in medical condition but also with growth and development.”

• Dr. Jessica Minion, Microbiologist and Medical Head of Infection Control, RQHR: “I would like to express my support for the current proposal to amalgamate pediatric services at the Regina General Hospital. . . . Separated oncology wards do not exclude infectious patients and general pediatric wards do not exclude immunocompromised patients.  The idea that oncology wards are ‘clean’ compared to general wards is a dangerous misconception that can lead to false sense of security and do a serious disservice to those vulnerable patients. . . The current planning for the pediatric ward at Regina General Hospital includes strategies to enhance infection control practices.”

• Saskatchewan Cancer Agency: Scott Livingstone (CEO), Dr. Monica Behl (VP Clinical Services and Sr. Medical Officer) and Dr. Kaiser Ali (Provincial Leader, Pediatric Oncology): “We believe that amalgamating pediatric care to the Regina General Hospital provides the opportunity for us to improve and expand services to assist both patients and family members. . . We welcome the opportunity to remain engaged with your region to ensure the very best outcome of our combined efforts as we work to improve the care and experience of pediatric patients and their families.”

Government has provided $2.65 million in 2013-14 for enhancements to pediatric intensive care in Saskatoon.  This funding will help support changes the RQHR board approved to transition its Medical Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to a High Acuity Unit, resulting in a greater number of transfers of critically ill or injured children to Saskatoon. Further, the Ministry of Health will be amending its critical care ambulance transfer policy to cover the cost of any transfers of critically ill or injured children to/from Regina and Saskatoon.

Overall, the province is strengthening pediatric services in Saskatchewan, including more than $215 million committed for a new Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon and a 27 per cent increase in the number of pediatricians practicing in Saskatchewan.

More information on the RQHR decision can be found at http://www.rqhealth.ca/.

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For more information, contact:

Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tmcmurchy@health.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-537-3594