OLDS — Town council agreed to second a resolution calling for more seats for lab and X-ray students for rural Alberta, brought forward to Alberta Municipalities by the Town of Sundre.
“Alberta is experiencing shortages of qualified health professionals and rural areas are experiencing even greater shortages than urban sites," a request for decision in Olds council’s March 27 agenda package said.
“One discipline where staff shortages have become a particularly serious concern is the combined lab and X-ray laboratory and X-ray technologist (CLXT).
“This part of our hospital's team is vital in assisting with efficient diagnosis and treatment and is essential to keeping a rural emergency room open.”
The Town of Sundre’s motion, passed in February, echoes one passed by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta last year.
The Sundre resolution calls on Alberta Municipalities to urge the provincial government to “collaborate with post-secondary institutions to expand the number of seats available to train combined laboratory and X-ray technologist (CLXT) for rural Alberta by increasing the number of seats for CLXT training at NAIT by 20 seats and explore means by which an additional 20-seat capacity (to a total of 80 students annually) can be created at NAIT or another Alberta post-secondary institution.”
Council unanimously passed a motion to second Sundre’s resolution.
