EMS response times and paramedic mental health were among the many concerns discussed at the Highwood NDP constituency association's healthcare town hall south of Calgary.
The event, held in Okotoks Aug. 22, focused on the status of healthcare in the province and featured speeches by the Official Opposition critics for health, Dr. Luanne Metz, and mental health and addictions, Janet Eremenko.
"The lack of primary care is something that is becoming obvious to most people," said Metz, an internationally-renowned physician specializing in neurology and multiple sclerosis.
"Overburdened hospitals and emergency departments... we need to fix that. For years, it's been building up, and we need to change that."
Metz said that major innovation is needed in areas such as virtual care, more specialized training for medical professionals, and evidence-based strategies to combat problems such as waitlist times and EMS response delays.
"The bottom line is that there are strategies that we can use to solve these problems," she continued. "We need government to make these things happen. We have to do them in collaboration, but we have to make them happen... at this point, three years to the next election, we want to know from you what the issues are."
Those directly impacted by issues around healthcare, both patients and medical professionals, were in attendance to voice their concerns.
"To wait another three years to see the amount of damage that [the current government] are doing is frightening," said one attendee. "I'm losing my family doctor after having been without one for a while, and for people who have little kids or who have [elderly parents], what the hell do you do without tearing my hair out?"
Another attendee, a paramedic, pointed out the vacancies of local medical personnel, sharing details on the amount of paramedic vacancies coming up.
"People are done. They're walking out. They don't want to work," said the paramedic, adding that many medical professionals in Alberta are underpaid, overworked and in many cases moving to other provinces for better pay and less stress.
"The mental health needs for paramedics are huge and close to my heart," said Metz, who published an op-ed on the subject in the Calgary Herald earlier this year, in response.
Eremenko, elected alongside Metz in the 2023 provincial election, further stressed the importance of focusing on mental health issues throughout the province.
"Mental health and addiction is just a small component of our health portfolio, but it is, without a doubt, still health care," said Eremenko.
"Mental health is health care. Harm reduction and addiction treatment is health care, and it is an area of health care that, unfortunately, has been chronically underserved for many, many years. Alberta is not unique in that particular way."
According to Eremenko, Okotoks suffers from what many smaller communities experience when it comes to accessing mental health support, namely that the lower demand for mental health services in smaller communities makes it more difficult to access limited supports, especially compared to larger urban centres with better-funded programs.
"When it comes to access to services, unfortunately, what's happening in Okotoks isn't really terribly unique in broad strokes to what's happening around the rest of the province," she said. "That is namely that if you're looking for mental health support for mild and moderate care, you're very likely going to have to pay up front.
"Finding a publicly funded psychologist or counsellor is incredibly, incredibly challenging to date. For more serious mental health issues, if you're looking for a psychiatrist, they are almost impossible to come by, let alone finding a psychiatrist or finding specialized support for you."
Eremenko continued with her perspective on issues faced by farmers.
"We know that our farming communities are really struggling when it comes to mental health," she said. "When it comes to those very hard-working men and women who are just working out there in the field... with changing costs of living, with skyrocketing prices, with inflation and a changing climate, the mental toll on our farming communities is significant."
She and Metz further stressed the importance of hearing from concerned Albertans ahead of the 2027 provincial election and taking those concerns into account going forward.
Also in attendance at the town hall was Ali Thompson, founder of provincial advocacy group Safeline, which will be hosting events in Okotoks and Diamond Valley on Aug. 24 to show support and appreciation for both patients and paramedics negatively affected by EMS issues.
