New ICU beds won’t fix broken system, says Phillips
As Premier Jason Kenney announced the opening of 19 permanent ICU beds across the province Friday morning, NDP MLA for Lethbridge-West and Critic for Finance Shannon Phillips responded shortly after.
“The sight of Jason Kenney standing in front of unstaffed beds hastily pushed into an unfinished room really tells the story of healthcare under the UCP,” said Phillips during a press conference from outside the Rockyview Hospital in Calgary.
According to the government of Alberta website, Alberta Health Services has opened and staffed 19 of 50 permanent intensive care unit (ICU) beds supported by $100 million this year from Budget 2022. The remaining 31 beds are expected to open by the end of September.
“We promised to build a stronger health-care system for Albertans and we are delivering on that promise. More ICU beds will bring peace of mind to care teams and will give doctors and nurses the space and capacity to surge care up and down, depending on demand. Our historic investment in health care is building a sustainable healthcare system for today and tomorrow,” said Kenney during the announcement.
But Phillips disagrees with that statement, saying the UCP’s disrespect for frontline health workers has created a profound crisis in healthcare.
“Today’s announcement will not fix any of the damage Kenney has caused to our health care system and it’s very clear once again that Albertans cannot trust the UCP with their healthcare. We need a new government and a new approach,” said Phillips.
Phillips listed some of that areas affected by the UCP decisions which include ambulance being backed up at hospital’s parking lots, 21 communities in Alberta where their hospitals are partially closed due to staff shortages.
“The UCP war on frontline professionals has created a profound crisis in healthcare,” said Phillips.
Phillips said in Edmonton there are dangerously long wait times for children at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, in Calgary children and parents were lining up outside to even get a seat in the waiting room at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“People across the province are losing doctors, but most egregiously in my hometown of Lethbridge. There are more than 43,000 Albertans who do not have a family doctor,” said Phillips.
She said that after the last clinic closed in Lethbridge in November, she called on the UCP to produce a plan to fix this and six months later they have done nothing.