OLDS — On May 25, a committee formed to attract and retain health care workers in Olds will meet for the first time.
Names of the new core committee members will be released on that day as well, Jillian Toellner of the town’s engagement and communications department says.
Also at that time, an initial committee formed to create that so-called core committee will be dissolved.
A town news release notes the process began last year and included a “Community Conversation on Health Care” at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 105 in Olds in November that attracted about 35 people, including organizers.
“Closely working with the new core committee will be representatives from the Peaks to Prairies Primary Care Network, RHPAP (the province’s Rural Health Professionals Action Plan), Alberta Health Services, and other supporting stakeholders,” the news release said.
“This is only the beginning of positive and productive conversations, and they look forward to continuing to include the residents, businesses, health-care providers and other stakeholders in ongoing feedback mechanisms,” it added.
Coun. Dan Daley is the Town of Olds council’s representative on the community’s Olds Health Professionals Attraction and Retention Committee (OHPARC).
He was chosen by a vote of council members taken during council’s April 11 council meeting.
Daley’s term begins immediately and expires during the council’s organizational meeting this October.
A similar committee was set up several years ago under the umbrella of the Olds Institute (OI) but has been inactive for several years and now OI itself no longer exists.
The committee is expected to be in place by summer and will include at least one health care provider, at least one Alberta Health Services (AHS) representative, up to four people representing various segments of the community as well as a Mountain View County rep.
Re-formation of the committee comes at a time when there’s a waiting list of about 2,600 Olds and area residents who have no regular doctor, according to Brent Williams, the town’s chief administrative officer.
Central Alberta AHS officials have noted that Olds has 17 doctors and have said that’s plenty for the 12,000 resident “catchment area” (the town and surrounding area), as it works out to 740 patients per doctor.
But Williams said that ignores the fact that 15 of those 17 doctors are often busy at the Olds Hospital and Care Centre and thus have little time to see patients.
