Vol. 103 No. 40
MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2012
Biggar, Saskatchewan
www.biggarindependent.ca ndependent ca
20 pages
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Heartland meets govt surgery wait list target The Heartland Health Region has met government targets for offering surgery within six months to all people who need it, a recent report reveals. Seven out of the 10 Saskatchewan health regions that handle operating-room surgeries are within five per cent of their target this year. “The collaboration of thousands of health care providers involved in the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative has moved us closer to reaching this year’s goal,” Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. “We owe it to patients to work hard over the last half of the fiscal year and meet our surgical wait time goals.” Updated wait time information on sasksurgery.ca shows that in the six-month period ending July 31, 2012, most health regions continued to provide almost all surgeries within six months. Heartland Health Region has met the target and six other health regions are close to hitting the target of providing all surgeries within six months by March 31, 2013. Progress toward Providing Surgeries within six months is as follows: Heartland - 100 per cent; Cypress/Sunrise - 99 per cent; Prairie North/Five Hills - 98 per cent; Sun Country - 97 per cent; Prince Albert Parkland - 95 per cent; Kelsey Trail/Saskatoon - 90 per cent; Regina Qu’Appelle - 81
per cent. The number of people waiting for surgery fluctuates, based on the number of people diagnosed and booked for surgery and the number of surgeries performed. Regina Qu’Appelle has experienced a spike in planned orthopaedic surgeries, offsetting gains the health region made in the volume of surgeries performed. Results from a concerted effort to ramp up surgical capacity in the health region won’t show up in wait time reductions for several months. Since November 2007, the number of patients waiting more than a year for surgery has dropped 82 per cent. During that same time, the number waiting more than six months has dropped 58 per cent. Wait times data continue to show that 97 per cent of patients in Saskatchewan have surgery within 12 months and 89 per cent within six months. There were 2,233 fewer patients waiting for surgery in Saskatchewan on July 31 than on the same date in 2011, a reduction of nine per cent. The overall goals of the Surgical Initiative are to improve safety, efficiency and patient experiences and provide all surgeries within three months by March 31, 2014. More information about the Surgical Initiative can be found at health.gov.sk.ca/surgicalinitiative. Wait time data and other information for patients is available at sasksurgery.ca.
Saskatchewan growing at fastest pace in over 90 years Population up more than 22,000 in past year, nearly 7,000 in latest quarter
Saskatchewan’s population grew by 22,154 people between July 1, 2011 and July 1, 2012, according to the latest figures released Thursday by Statistics Canada. That’s the most growth in a single year since 1921. There were 1,079,958 people living in Saskatchewan as of July 1, 2012. In the most recent quarter April 1 to July 1, 2012, Saskatchewan’s population grew by 6,851 - the largest increase in a single quarter since Statistics Canada started keeping quarterly records in 1971. Premier Brad Wall said the latest figures show Saskatchewan is on the right track with one of the strongest economies in Canada. “Saskatchewan is growing at its fastest pace since the earliest days of our province,” Wall said. “Next month, we will be releasing
our growth plan designed to ensure this growth continues and that we are meeting both the challenges and opportunities of growth in the years ahead.” Wall said the population growth is exceeding the government’s stated goal of 100,000 people in 10 years. In just the past five years, from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2012, Saskatchewan’s population increased by nearly 80,000 people. Saskatchewan saw net interprovincial in-migration (number of people moving in minus number moving out) of 1,373 in the most recent quarter, with the largest net gains coming from Ontario (843 persons), British Columbia (225 persons), Manitoba (216 persons) and Alberta (175 persons). Saskatchewan and Alberta were the only two provinces with net in-migration from other
Fall colour on a walk for Terry . . . St. Gabriel School students were in a decidedly upbeat mood during the Terry Fox National School Run Day, Thursday. The backdrop was the Sandra Schmirler Olympic Gold Park, appropriately displayed in fall colours. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam) provinces in the past quarter. Saskatchewan’s population gain also consisted of net international migration of 4,035 and a natural increase (births minus deaths) of 1,443 in the past quarter. “Gone are the days when more people were moving out of Saskatchewan than moving in,” Wall said. “ Wi t h o u r s t r o n g economy, plenty of career opportunities and great quality of life, Saskatchewan is the place to be.”
Bidding Block . . . A Mierau Auction Service auctioneer, looks for a bid, Wednesday at the Jubilee Stadium for the William and Mabel Hoppe auction. The fall sale brought out deal seekers and all those looking for that little something. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)