A community meeting organized by Jason Nixon, Wildrose MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre, and his staff was held Monday night at the Sundre Legion.
The meeting follows Alberta Health Services' (AHS) recent announcement that 15 continuing care beds at the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre will be decommissioned. Nixon also spoke on Tuesday, March 15 at the provincial legislature regarding the issue.
"Alberta Health Services has, with the (health) minister's blessing, blindsided Sundre by announcing the closure of 15 long-term care beds," he said.
Also there to show support for the hospital were several community leaders, including mayor of Sundre Terry Leslie, Coun. Verna McFadden and Heidi Overguard from the Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce. Local doctor Robert Warren, as well as registered nurses Sarah Gander and Diana Kleinloog represented the medical community, and concerned citizens Gerald and Shelley Ingeveld also attended.
"In the gallery today are front-line workers from Sundre whose colleagues' jobs will disappear because of this. How can the minister justify to these doctors and nurses the breaking of NDP promises by not only shutting down front-line services, but also laying off front-line workers," said Nixon.
But the health minister contested his assessment of the situation.
"Clearly it's another day in the land of make-believe for the official Opposition, Mr. Speaker," Health Minister Sarah Hoffman responded.
"Let me make the record crystal clear. Number 1, the hospital in Sundre will remain open. Number 2, all of the residents will be able to transition to a new facility and we'll make sure they get the right level of care. I think it might be long- term care for a couple of the members and we'll make sure that that level of care is available at the new facility. And number 3, all staff will have a landing place consistent with the collective agreement, and I'd be happy to meet with the members in the gallery afterwards to offer them that assurance in person."
However, Nixon said the minister was "trying to downplay her decision to shut down" the hospital's 15 long-term care beds by highlighting the new 40 supportive living beds at the Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) facility, which don't provide as high a level of care.
"Given the NDP promise for more long-term care spaces across the province in the last election, can the minister explain how cutting all of Sundre's long-term care beds moves us towards that goal?" he asked.
The minister responded by saying the government wants to ensure people get the right care in the right place by the right professionals.
"For the individuals that are currently living in the long-term care facility, that's not the right care, just like if I was waiting to live somewhere, I needed to have some support with my meals and with my daily hygiene, I shouldn't be stuck living in a hospital, I should have the right facility," Hoffman said.
The new MVSH facility "will have 40 bright, brand new welcoming beds. In terms of the transition, the couple of people that do need the higher level of care, we're going to make sure that we have the right supports for them in the new facility so they can receive long-term care," she said.
Seeing as there are other hospitals that are statistically used less than Sundre's, Nixon wanted to know whether other communities could expect to see their hospitals' beds cut, or if the Sundre facility was the only one "in the minister's sights."
The health minister stressed that Sundre's hospital will remain open.
"I'm proud that the people of Alberta elected a government that actually believes in public health care. Instead of pushing for queue jumping and for people to be able to go over the border, we're investing in public infrastructure. We're looking at facilities that have 45-year-old beds that aren't up to today's best standards, that aren't as welcoming as the new facilities," she said.
"And we're finding ways to replace those 15 beds with 40 appropriate level care beds. This is very good news, not just for Sundre, but for rural Alberta, and we'll continue to look at ways that we can move forward to make sure that people get the right care in their communities throughout Alberta."
In a meeting with Nixon last week, the health minister committed to keeping the hospital open, working to ensure long-term care patients would have access to the same level of care within their community, and helping affected front-line workers to find equivalent employment in Sundre.
"This hospital, access to long-term care, and the retention of quality health-care workers are crucial to our community's ability to take care of our own," Nixon said.
Last week's news that the Sundre hospital would be losing its 15 long-term care beds created an almost instant backlash. On top of local officials and residents who have been vocal in expressing concerns, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) and the Friends of Medicare also spoke out against the move.
"We've seen this before. AHS comes into a rural Alberta community, and, without any consultation, announces the closure of the local long-term care centre," said AUPE vice-president Karen Weiers in a press release.
"Longtime residents are forced to either leave their community or move to a private facility subsidized by taxpayer money."
"It's a script written by the previous PC government," continued Weiers. "We want to remind the NDP government that Albertans voted for a happier ending for Alberta seniors, their families and communities and their caregivers."
The closure of the beds comes as construction of the new MVSH facility that will feature 40 supportive living beds nears completion, which is scheduled for June.
"Supportive living is an important part of the spectrum of seniors' care, but it cannot replace long-term care," said Weiers. "We are also concerned that this move follows a pattern of government divestment of responsibility, even though the NDP campaigned for increasing public provision of quality care for Alberta seniors."
Friends of Medicare also called on AHS to consult with and respect the desires of Sundre's residents as well as the long-term care residents in the hospital.
"This is a continuing pattern from AHS, to show up in a community and present the closure of publicly delivered services as a done deal," said Sandra Azocar, Friends of Medicare executive director, in a press release.
"While everyone was aware that Mountain View Seniors' Housing would be opening supportive living beds, it was never discussed as a replacement of the higher level of care provided at the Sundre hospital's long-term care spaces."
Even though AHS officials have assured the new facility would meet local needs, residents and family members have expressed concerns about the downgrade in level of care, she said.
"We have seen similar issues with closures in communities like Carmangay, and are not assured that this downgrade is being done with the best interest of patients in mind."
Check back for coverage on Monday night's meeting.
