SASKATOON -- The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the province to limit long-term care workers to a single ward or facility as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"Federal guidelines recommend cohorting or grouping staff by ward or facility. Other provinces have already taken this step," NDP Leader Ryan Meili said in a news release.
Over the weekend, federal health officials released new guidance for long-term care homes nationwide.
Limiting staff to a single facility was among the recommendations.
During a news conference in Regina Tuesday, Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) CEO Scott Livingstone said work is underway to address the issue.
"We hope to have strategies in place that will likely include a cohorting of staff," Livingstone said.
Nearly 20 per cent of long term care staff work in more than one facility, according to Livingstone.
He said part of the challenge moving towards a model where staff work in designated facilities is ensuring enough staff are available to "properly care" for patients at each location.
"It's not a simple as saying 'You're going to work in this facility and you're going to work in that facility, '" Livingstone said.
The SHA CEO said a "more definitive plan" on how to tackle the changes will be ready in about a week's time.
