Larissa Kurz
Regina Leader-Post
The health ombudsman for First Nations in Saskatchewan says the complaints she’s received so far are reaffirming that health care is still lagging for Indigenous people in the province.
A first report from appointed ombudsman Dianne Lafond was made public on Monday, outlining the work the new independent office conducted after it opened in July 2023 until the end of this March.
Lafond said her office has received “approximately 500 complaints” during that time, and 64 per cent of cases reviewed were about issues or services from within the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
She said the volume of complaints has supported “alarming and prevailing trends” of health disparities experienced by Indigenous residents that prompted the creation of her office in the first place.
“When we built this office, we knew the demand was going to be there,” said Lafond at a news conference in Saskatoon. “People have not felt safe in where to go to file a complaint.”
In the report, Lafond said data and testimonials from patients show what she called “hot spot” areas in the province, with the highest number of complaints from the north and in rural communities.
Many complaints were also related to emergency-room care in Saskatoon and rural hospitals being closed without notice, including several about the facility in Shellbrook, Lafond said.
“We’re seeing trends. We’re seeing complaints happening in the same spots over and over and over again,” said Lafond, adding that her office has also been approached by victims who experienced alleged abuse inside health facilities, as well as “whistleblowers that have come in.”
‘We can’t implement change without partners’
The First Nations health ombudsman is a first of its kind in Canada. It was established by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) to hear patients’ issues with health-care systems and providers for investigation, mediation and advocacy.
The office fields complaints related to racism, poor quality of care, violations to patient privacy or rights, unequal access to health services, and other concerns.
“This office is intended to keep both Saskatchewan and the federal government accountable, especially when health is one of the most meaningful and important aspects of our lives,” said Heather Bear, chair of the office’s board of directors.
Because her office can only make recommendations, Lafond said she has been meeting with regulatory bodies like the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan and with leadership at the SHA to push for solutions.
“We can’t implement change without partners and, if you’re speaking true reconciliation, we need action,” Lafond said. “I feel that we are moving along in a positive direction. We need to continue on that road.”
Appointing an independent health ombudsman aligns with several calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples regarding key rights to health care.
— with Saskatoon StarPhoenix files
