To continue addressing capacity issues in Regina, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) says it will be adding more beds to the health care system.

As part of Regina’s Capacity Pressure Action Plan  (RCPAP), 27 additional beds were added in Regina’s Community-based Long-term Care program and six hospice beds were added at Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina, according to an announcement made by the SHA on Thursday.

Since the RCPAP was announced in December, the SHA said they have hired or posted more than 280 permanent positions across the province. Of those 280 positions, 90 are filled.

The new initiatives are in addition to recent actions over the past several years to improve hospital capacity, according to the province.

“Our collective focus has been to add staff and beds, while beginning to build some capacity in the appropriate care environments to better support patients in getting the care they need,” said John Ash, Vice-President, Integrated Saskatoon Health for the SHA.

Work is also underway to find locations in Regina and Saskatoon to add up to 400 transitional and long-term care beds.

The SHA also provided an update on the Saskatoon Capacity Pressure Action Plan , which was announced in November.

As part of Thursday’s announcement, 43 additional acute beds and three ICU beds will be added at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, five additional acute care beds will be added at St. Paul’s Hospital, while 32 transitional beds will be added across the city.