Every election has a couple of hot button issues. This time around, healthcare and education are top of mind for many Albertans. There’s been lots of media from the other guys about these and other important topics.
For now, let’s talk healthcare.
From EMS and aging/inadequate infrastructure to shortages of healthcare professionals and seniors care, Alberta’s healthcare system has needed an overhaul for a while. The Alberta Party has some thoughts…
We must address response times, service disparity and personnel & equipment shortages in our EMS system. Better solutions for dispatch are needed to manage non-emergent patient movement, floating response area boundaries and the establishment of benchmarks for all code level responses.
The need for investment in infrastructure, assets & equipment is dire. The Alberta Party supports investment in the Red Deer Hospital, the Edmonton Hospital, and the long-overdue Stollery expansion, not to mention necessary upgrades to numerous rural facilities.
Deficits also exist in medical personnel. We need to increase the number of seats in schools for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and, at the same time, accelerate the approval process for foreign credentials in Alberta.
No discussion about healthcare is complete without talking about mental health. The last few years have seen a dramatic uptick in Albertans needing mental healthcare. Students, teachers, healthcare workers, first responders and the grandpa living alone across the street have all sought help. We must immediately improve access by doubling the number of mental health professionals in the province.
Many say our healthcare system is broken. I don’t know about that, but I do know it’s well past time for us to make substantial investments in all areas. If we’re to continue to enjoy some of the best healthcare in the world, we must address the imbalances and the shortages that exist throughout our system.
Watch for “What’s on the Ballot?” Part 2….