By Roger White

New hires expected to help with bed shortage

Oct 27, 2017 | 2:00 PM

The addition of two new psychiatrists to the Battlefords Union Hospital (BUH) comes as welcome news to those in the Mental Health and Addictions Department of the Prairie North Health Region (PNHR).

During Wednesday’s PNHR board meeting CEO David Fan reported to the board Dr. Olugbenga Alabi and Dr. Olorunfemi Ahmodu will be joining the psychiatric team at the BUH and that the recruitment efforts to fill the remaining openings remains a priority.

The director of Mental Health and Addictions for health region Chad Sayres said the recent recruitments will relieve some of the challenges faced by his department.

“There has been a bit of a shortage of beds over the past few months with having just one of four psychiatrist positions filled,” Sayres said. “We seconded a psychiatrist from Saskatoon to help periodically and had a few locums help out sporadically so this announcement is huge.”

Currently the department has 22 beds available however with just one psychiatrist on staff they have been operating at less than half capacity.

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Sayres credited the Mental Health and Addictions department for being proactive and having a plan in place that helped alleviate the situation.

“Dr. David Duncan, our chief psychiatrist worked with our general practitioners and asked them to work in a shared management role,” Sayre added. “So we are working more in consultation with our doctors now which is something that we should be doing anyways.”

Sayres said this cooperation has been beneficial so far.

“Before if a patient went to their doctor’s office and presented symptoms, they would be sent to our department,” Sayres said. “Now doctors are calling us with details on the patient and we assess the situation.”

“It could be that patient needs medication or counselling but if we collaborate on these issues it works for everyone and helps until we get back to running with a full complement of psychiatrists,” he said.

According to Sayres the emergency room of the BUH have played an important role as well by assessing patients and holding onto them in emergency until a bed can be found for them.

“Can you imagine showing up at 2 a.m. and there is no inpatient bed available,” Sayres said. “The ER is now holding onto patients until they can be seen by a doctor in the morning and then we will deal with the bed situation.”

Sayres also recognized the assistance that other provincial hospitals have provided during the past few months in particular Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Yorkton.

“If there is somebody that is an absolute emergency and there is no bed available and they need inpatient treatment our provincial mental health centres have been very helpful with our overflow,” he added. “It’s not ideal because they are away from their homes but they are still getting the help they need and that is important.”

In a previous interview with battlefordsNOW,  Fan said recruiting specialists like psychiatrists is a challenge because they are highly sought after.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, you are urged to contact the nearest Saskatchewan Crisis Centre. 

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter : @RJWtheReporter