Letters published in today’s Edmonton Journal, by AUPE President Guy Smith and Denise Woollard of Edmonton.
AHS is making bed shortage worse (Smith)
Dumelie and Stewart state that Villa Caritas will provide a “42-per-cent increase” in beds for the treatment of geriatric psychiatry patients, but later state that 30 of the 150 beds will not be used for psychiatric care.
If this statement is true, it means that we will spend $43 million to build Villa Caritas, another $5 million to repurpose it, and untold millions to move all the patients, staff, offices, records and equipment, all for a net increase of 14 geriatric psychiatry beds, and a loss of 120 long-term-care beds. I doubt that any taxpayer would see this as a wise expenditure of public funds.
AHS is making bed shortage worse (Woollard)
The complaints about Alberta Hospital are questionable, the plans to renovate the hospital were approved years ago, and the setting is spacious and beautiful. I am sorely disappointed by Alberta Health Services, the government of Alberta, and the health minister for not supporting proper care for our seniors.
An additional 600 long-term-care beds were promised in the last election. Instead, there are now at least 150 fewer. We need a good system of long-term care, and not more for-profit care facilities.
The debate over the Alberta Hospital rages on.Unfortunately for those making the decisions to close the geriatric beds, and trying to justify it by saying it increases the number of long term care beds available. Somehow, regardless of how this is explained, the costs of doing such a move just do not add up. One does not have to be a financial wizard to realize that in the long term all that this is doing is costing the taxpayer more money.
It is time the upgrades that have been promised take place at Alberta Hospital. For too long mental health, and the way we adminster care to those affected, has been overlooked. We need this hospital. Good on ya AUPE for leading the fight !!!