Staff
In response to a leaked newsletter issued by the former David Thompson Health Region regarding the proposed downgrading of 10 rural hospitals in central Alberta and the closure of long-term care facilities in Bentley, Breton and Trochu, Lacombe-Ponoka Conservative MLA Ray Prins released a statement on Friday, May 15 in which he blames the entire issue on rumour, the opposition parties and even the media.
The newsletter in question, which was widely distributed by the Alberta Friends of Medicare, claims the provincial government is, or at least was considering the downgrading of hospitals in Ponoka, Lacombe, Innisfail, Castor, Coronation, Consort, Sundre, Three Hills, Hanna and the new hospital in Rimbey.
“It is important as your MLA to clarify recent media reports of rural hospital closures. It seems about every three to six months opposition members start a rumour that some rural hospitals are due to be closed, Our government has committed that in the event of any change in status of a rural health facility that consultations with residents affected will take place first,” Prins wrote in the statement.
“The most recent incident involves a working document prepared by a doctor in central Alberta for the former David Thompson Health region. Dr. Brian Inglis is quoted as saying ‘this was a working document only and he is disappointed he was not contacted first before it was released publicly.’”
Prins added that when the budget was released last April, the government made it very clear about the status of current health capital projects as part of Vision 2020, but said little in reassuring the public that the government will maintain the status quo regarding rural hospitals.
“…as part of Vision 2020, services at all existing, approved and proposed hospitals are under review to ensure they reflect local community needs and to see what services could be better delivered in other community settings,” he wrote. “Government’s goal is to improve patient access to health services, not reduce it. We are building a health system that is more focused on meeting patient needs, and want facilities to be providing the appropriate services.”
Citing the provincial health and wellness minister, the CEO of Alberta Health Services and the premier, Prins said that if any changes are coming to the delivery of health services in central Alberta, the community or communities involved will be given the opportunity of discussing the downgrading or closures with the province.
“Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Ron Liepert emphasizes that there are no plans in place to close any of the facilities around the province,” Prins wrote. “He added that ‘we have committed that if there is a planned change in the status of a facility, there will be prior engagement with that community.’”
However according to Ken Collier, president of Alberta Friends of Medicare, that’s not going to happen.
“You don’t get public discussion about it. You don’t get hearings,” Collier said. “You have a bunch of officials sitting behind closed doors deciding to do this.”
According to Prins, Alberta Health Services CEO Stephen Duckett is planning to tour rural hospitals and long-term care facilities this coming summer and “has publicly stated that he is committed to improving accessibility, quality and sustainability in the health system,”
As for the premier, Prins said he has been in discussions with Duckett but again, the premier said little in terms of alleviating any concerns the public may have.
“Premier Stelmach, who recently met with the new CEO, stated ‘there may be changes in the delivery of services but Dr. Duckett was very confident we’d be able to maintain services in rural Alberta,’” Prins wrote. “We all recognize the challenges of delivering a high quality publicly funded health care system, but we should never lose sight of our goal of building the best health care system that will be there not only for us, but for our children and future generations.”
In closing, Prins invited any resident in central Alberta who has questions regarding health services to contact his office before he pointed the finger at those who he perceived as being responsible for leaking and reporting on the controversial newsletter.
“If you have questions about future health care delivery in rural Alberta please contact me because all too often what is in the media or spoken by opposition parties is not factual,” he concluded.