Bed closures temporary, common during summer: AHS
Alberta Health Services says some acute care beds and emergency departments are closed across the province as staff take much-deserved vacation.
After recent closures, unions representing health-care staff said doctors and nurses are exhausted from the pandemic, and the Opposition NDP worried Albertans would not receive appropriate care.
On Friday, AHS assured the public nearly 99 per cent of its 8,513 acute care beds and 1,221 emergency departments are open, and the few closures are only temporary as staff take time off.
"The short-term, temporary bed closures have limited impact on our ability to provide safe, quality patient care," said Deb Gordon, AHS' vice president chief operating officer.
Gordon went on to say bed closures are not uncommon, especially during the summer when staffing levels are "historically a little bit lower."
On average, AHS has a six per cent vacancy rate in June – a number that has slightly increased to 6.8 per cent in 2021.
"It's a challenge for us but it's not a new challenge," Gordon said. "There is, however, a new challenge this year. The impact of the pandemic on our staff and positions is new…Many of them have been doing far more than their usual hours in the past 16 months. They need and deserve a break. They're less able to work extra shifts than they would have been a year ago."
As many as 20 hospitals and health facilities have reduced service in some capacity in the past six months — most of them in rural areas. The north zone currently has the most acute care bed closures, with 89 out of 944 beds in the area not in use.
"The reality is we've seen emergency room closures that were not planned in communities across Alberta, primarily rural communities, and quite frankly, I think, the rural citizens of Alberta are tired of being gaslit by a government that's suggesting that it’s just normal for them to tolerate episodic and unreliable service in some of their community hospitals. So we know it's a real problem," NDP Leader Rachel Notley said.
When asked why staff have been more vocal about shortages this year if closures are a routine, seasonal issue, AHS president and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu also referenced the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's been a really, really rough 16+ months and everyone is very, very tired," Yiu told reporters. "Nobody's had much vacation and at the end of the day, our staff advocate because they really care about patients. We're very supportive of all that they do, we're very grateful of all that they do and it is their purview to share their views, but understanding the lens of the pandemic fatigue, which is real."
With files from Carlyle Fiset
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Police say another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.