Some west central Alberta communities are among 30 across the province currently experiencing temporary bed and space reductions at local hospitals and health care centres.
According to Alberta Health Services (AHS), those in the Drayton Valley area include both Drayton Valley and Rimbey.
At the Drayton Valley Health Centre, 7 out of 32 acute care beds have been removed from operation due to a temporary staff shortage from vacations, vacancies, and illness, leaving 78 per cent of those beds currently operational. AHS says the current circumstances began April 21, 2022 but are anticipated to be resolved on Aug. 15, 2022, provided all conditions have been met, such as appropriate staffing levels having been resumed, physician coverage restored, and pandemic response measures lifted. The organization further notes, however, that the anticipated end dates can flex based on whether services can safely be resumed.
At the Rimbey Hospital and Care Centre, AHS notes no obstetrical services are available on site due to a temporary staff shortage from vacations, vacancies, and illness. However, the organization anticipates zero deliveries in Rimbey for July-September.
AHS says the service reduction in Rimbey began on Sept. 20, 2021 and is anticipated to be resolved by Aug. 15, 2022.
According to Alberta Health Services, the other communities currently impacted are:
- High Level,
- Fort Vermillion,
- Peace River,
- Fairview,
- Spirit River,
- Beaverlodge,
- McLennan,
- High Prairie,
- Slave Lake,
- Wabasca,
- Swan Hills,
- Lac La Biche,
- Boyle,
- Cold Lake,
- Whitecourt,
- St. Paul,
- Two Hills,
- Fort Saskatchewan,
- Rocky Mountain House,
- Wainwright,
- Hardisty,
- Hanna,
- Drumheller,
- Airdrie,
- Calgary,
- Bassano.
- Sundre
“Albertans deserve a public health care system they can rely on,” said Alberta NDP Labour Critic Christina Gray, on Wednesday. “But after the UCP’s severe mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, their ongoing push to privatize services, and their sustained attacks on frontline health care workers, access to health care for Albertans is more compromised than ever before.”
AHS says the organization makes every effort to secure staff and physician coverage before taking steps to reduce the number of beds and/or care spaces in any of their facilities, saying temporary reductions are only done as a last resort.
“Temporary reductions occur due to staff and physician vacations, scheduled upgrades and construction projects in order to enhance patient and family experiences. AHS plans and prepares for bed reductions to minimize impact on patients, staff, and physicians,” notes the AHS website.
Comments