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A Midale mother worries staffing problems at Regina’s pediatric diabetes program will mean longer trips, higher costs and more time away from work and school for families across southern Saskatchewan.
Jennifer Simmons’s seven-year-old daughter, Kinsley, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November and receives specialized care through the Regina Pediatric Diabetes Program.
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The family learned about the disruption through an Aug. 28 letter sent to pediatric diabetes patients and families.
The letter said the Regina program was currently unable to provide pediatric diabetes care locally because of recent staffing losses. It told families that patients who previously received care in Regina would be transitioned to the Saskatoon Pediatric Diabetes Clinic.
“This is not a change that we wanted to see happen,” the pediatric endocrinology and diabetes team wrote.
The team said it had advocated for years for the staffing, resources and administrative support required to provide sustainable pediatric diabetes care in Regina.
“Despite these efforts, recent staffing losses and the resulting challenges in maintaining the necessary resources to support the program have made it impossible to continue providing local pediatric diabetes care in Regina at this time,” the letter said.
Simmons said Kinsley needs to attend the clinic every three to four months to manage her insulin pump settings and receive specialized support.
The family currently travels about 90 minutes from Midale to Regina. Travelling to Saskatoon could turn an appointment into a two-day trip, Simmons said.
“It’s not just the gas to get there and back; it’s the cost of the hotel and anything else, and plus just the stress of it and asking for days off work and kids missing school,” she said.
Simmons said the longer journey would become particularly difficult during Saskatchewan winters.
“We’re in the belt of crazy, horrible winter storms,” she said. “It’s those winter times that we really need the support of the specialists and be able to function as a whole care team.”
In April, Jennifer Simmons, centre, says her family offered to educate and train workers at her daughter Kinsley’s school so they can handle her Type 1 diabetes, but they were denied. (980 CJME file photo)
After parents raised concerns, Estevan-Big Muddy MLA Lori Carr sent a response containing additional information from the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
The response said the disruption is temporary while the appropriate personnel are recruited. It also clarified that not every patient will necessarily be required to travel to Saskatoon.
The SHA said it has arranged continued coverage for current patients through pediatric specialists in Regina, although some children requiring specialized endocrinology care may need to access services in Saskatoon.
The health authority said the original letter, which was sent to approximately 150 patients receiving services in Regina, contained incomplete information about the plans for patient care.
“We apologize for any confusion this may have caused,” the SHA said in the response.
It said care teams will work with each patient and family to determine the most appropriate care plan and communicate directly with them about any changes.
The SHA also said it is taking steps to strengthen the nursing and clinical teams supporting pediatric diabetes and endocrinology services.
However, the response did not provide a timeline for completing recruitment or fully restoring the Regina program.
For Simmons, the uncertainty adds to the challenges her family has faced since Kinsley’s diagnosis.
Simmons recognized her daughter’s symptoms because her three younger sisters also have Type 1 diabetes. Kinsley was drinking large amounts of water, using the bathroom frequently and had recently lost weight.
After an at-home test showed her glucose was too high to read, the family went to hospital in Weyburn.
Kinsley was later transferred to Regina, where the pediatric floor and diabetes program helped begin managing her condition.
“Type 1 diabetes in itself is one of those 24/7 things,” Simmons said.
The family has also been advocating for a provincial standard of care for children living with Type 1 diabetes in Saskatchewan schools.
Simmons said Kinsley has attended school for only five days since her diagnosis.
“This was a second hit when we really do need to lean on the Regina Pediatric Diabetes Program,” she said.
Simmons said families should not be forced to absorb additional travel and accommodation costs to access specialized care. She also worries the disruption could place more pressure on the Saskatoon clinic and delay services for children trying to access insulin pumps or other support.
“I don’t think that families should be made to carry that extra burden,” she said. “I think that we need to do better and allocate the appropriate funds and anticipate what needs may be coming.”
Simmons said she hopes the staffing problems are resolved quickly and full pediatric diabetes services resume in Regina.
“I hope that we are not losing the Regina Pediatric Diabetes Clinic for a long time, and this is just something that’s temporary and it’ll be resolved,” she said.
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