Alberta's minister of health is hopeful the successful community engagement in Sundre regarding plans for the local hospital will become the foundation for future collaboration with communities throughout the province.
In a letter written in response to correspondence sent from local municipal officials last September, Sarah Hoffman also expressed her gratitude to the community for proactively being a part of the extensive process to save long-term care beds at the local hospital while providing new levels of care not previously available.
"As you are aware, the engagement process included meetings with representatives from the Town of Sundre and the Sundre Hospital Futures Committee to address the health needs at the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre," she wrote.
"We also consulted with physicians, families and citizens to adopt a Sundre-focused solution. We hope that this engagement model can be used with other communities across Alberta."
The minister further went on to emphasize that "this success story would not have been possible without the council and community's support and proactive involvementÖI encourage the council and community to remain involved in the process and help us continue to make the system work, or improve, for all communities in the province."
Hoffman also included a personally handwritten addition to the printed letter with Alberta Health's letterhead that expressed the minister's appreciation to the municipality "for being such a positive partner focused on a win-win. I am proud of what we accomplished together."
Mayor Terry Leslie told the Round Up last Thursday that he has a deep respect for Minister Hoffman, whom he described as receptive.
"I'm very appreciative of the audience we got with the minister of health ó twice ó with representatives from our community," he said.
The mayor also expressed pride for the community leaders and volunteers who stepped up and devoted their time to the cause.
"Wouldn't it be nice if we resolved every issue like that!"
Also playing an important role in the process was MLA Jason Nixon, who voiced the community's concerns to the provincial government when Alberta Health Services announced last March its original intent to shut down all the hospital's 15 long-term care beds, he said.
"Without his help, we never would have had that audience with the minister. It was truly a remarkably collaborative effort that led to real change."
Many others ó including Sundre Hospital Futures Committee chair Gerald Ingeveld ó were also part of the behind-the-scenes effort to save five long-term care beds at the hospital, he said.
"We came up with solutions for the future that would provide better services to the community," said the mayor, who was glad that common ground could be established with the minister and her department.
"That says a great deal for that minister and the work that she's trying to do to support the health-care needs of people in Alberta."
