Saskatchewan’s auditor says wait times for people to receive spine and brain surgeries have spiked. 

In her report released today, Tara Clemett says 722 people have been waiting for a neurosurgeon, and about one third of them have been waiting for more than a year. 

She says the wait list for spine surgery in Regina has doubled over the past year, while the wait list in Saskatoon has stayed the same. 

Clemett says people who wait longer for surgery are at greater risk of worsening health conditions.

She recommends the province develop a plan to reduce the wait list, which includes changing the referral process and scheduling for doctors. 

Clemett’s report also highlights growing issues for mental health patients in Prince Albert, Sask., about 140 kilometres north of Saskatoon, where the number of detox patients reporting they’re homeless has spiked.