Saskatchewan communities are facing significant challenges in healthcare access, affecting the quality and availability of care for residents. Key findings from recent research reveals gaps in service delivery outside larger urban centers including limited resources, staffing shortages, and geographic barriers. Mental health services face similar struggles, with individuals encountering difficulties in accessing support due to systemic barriers and regional disparities. Tackling these issues requires innovative solutions to improve healthcare access and ensure equitable support for all residents.

In this episode, Accessing Health Services in Saskatchewan with the University of Regina and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Advocacy Advisor, Kerri Martin, sits down with Dr. Nuelle Novik, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Regina, and a researcher with the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU), and Rebecca Rackow, Assistant Executive Director and Dave Nelson, Senior Program Consultant, with the Canadian Mental Health Association, to discuss the challenges faced by residents in small and remote communities when accessing healthcare services.

To learn more about the state of healthcare in Saskatchewan access the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit's report on The Current State of Health Care in Rural Saskatchewan here.

To learn more about the state of mental health in Saskatchewan in comparison to other provinces across the country access the Canadian Mental Health Association's recent report The State of Mental Health in Canada here.