Saskatoon opens 80 new acute care beds

Saskatoon hospitals have opened 80 new acute care beds, the Government of Saskatchewan said in a release on Oct. 20.

Royal University Hospital gained 36 inpatient beds and St. Paul’s Hospital gained 24. Saskatoon City Hospital added 20 medicine beds, following 40 opened there earlier. The release says that makes 120 new beds across the city’s hospitals over the last year.

The province is spending $73 million on the 80 beds this fiscal year. Of that, $54.2 million continues the realignment of acute care at City Hospital, and $19.5 million covers the 60 permanent beds at Royal University and St. Paul’s.

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the beds will reduce pressure on emergency departments and keep care close to home. The release says the funding aims to cut admission delays.

City Hospital’s 60 medicine beds are now complete, and all positions for them are filled. The wider City Hospital expansion totals 109 beds, with the other 49 due by March 2027.

At Royal University and St. Paul’s, most positions are filled and the rest are in hiring. The release says more than 150 permanent full-time positions were added there.