Closures and reduced hours in healthcare Facilities continue to be an issue in the Prairie Mountain Health Region. Opposition Leader Wab Kinew says resolving staffing shortages needs to be a top priority for the government.

"I think everyone in the Parkland, and really everyone in the Prairie Mountain Region knows there are major issues with healthcare." "Let's make hiring nurses in the public system a priority. Agency Nurses as a stop-gap measure is one thing, but let's try and get these nurses on a permanent basis into communities so that they're there long term, they learn your name, they know your family, and they know your medical needs and they can build that relationship that improves that quality of care."

One recent example of these closures and limited hours is the Grandview Hospital limiting the hours of its emergency room. Kinew says it's an issue the provincial government has brought on themselves with some of their practices.

"The number one issue that we hear from nurses, is that the steps the PC's have taken with healthcare has left them feeling disrespected, burnt out, or that they just don't have much of a work-life balance." "All they want really is maybe just a little bit more consideration. That they not be forced to work back-to-back shifts, mandatory overtime, that they get some opportunity to see their kids, to see their families, and that there's some flexibility around scheduling shifts."

Prairie Mountain Health CEO Brian Schoonbaert recently commented on a survey about Manitobans being dissatisfied with their healthcare, and we have reached out to PMH for a response to Mr. Kinew's comments.