NDP Leader Rachel Notley was back in Lethbridge today, raising another red flag when it comes to health care. Notley was joined by Lethbridge-West candidate Shannon Phillips. They say according to documents, two new shelled-in inpatient units at Chinook Regional Hospital are nothing more than empty shells.
“In 2010 they were advised that these beds would be needed by 2015.” Said Phillips, “They repeatedly broke that promise to deliver healthcare to the people of Lethbridge.”
The NDP says according to internal documents, the government has no immediate plans to outfit the unit, even though the demand for hospital beds in Lethbridge continues to grow. They also say the delay is costing taxpayers money.
“They’ve let all taxpayers down in taking this awkward approach, which is going to create significant additional cost and also compromise patient safety when they ultimately deal with it,” said Notley.
James Frey with Alberta Health Services released a statement saying, in part, “The construction of shelled space while building a new facility or expansion is fiscally responsible as it lowers total costs over the long term. Final decisions regarding funding to develop shelled space are made by the Government of Alberta. AHS provides a priority list based on clinical needs and priorities in order to ensure the best quality health services are available in the most appropriate locations. The needs of all communities must be considered in a context of competing priorities, finite resources, and clinical needs.”
Global Lethbridge reached out to the MLA for Lethbridge East Bridget Pastoor Friday, but she was unavailable for comment.
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