Connect with us

Breaking

NDP says mental health care in Alberta among the worst; Health spokesman says no

Published

on

shutterstock

shutterstock

EDMONTON — Alberta New Democrats say the province’s mental health care system is one of the worst in the country.

Leader Rachel Notley released a briefing note drafted by the Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services that outlines hospitals’ challenges specifically to mental health.

She says a 2009 study shows the number of mental health beds in Alberta was about half the national average.

Notley also said an all-party committee was asked to examine the issue a few years ago and, when asked for background research, “they concluded that Alberta was the only province in the country that couldn’t describe how it provided mental health services.

buy topamax online health.rxbuyonlinewithoutprescriptionrx.net/topamax.html no prescription pharmacy

A spokesman for Health Minister Stephen Mandel says the information in the briefing note is nothing new and was part of an exercise used to help in planning.

Steve Buick says there’s maintenance work and upgrades that need to get done at some hospitals, but it’s wrong to say that people aren’t getting good care.

“People get good care in our facilities here in Edmonton and across the province and they get good care in mental health particularly,” Buick said Monday.

buy rifadin online health.rxbuyonlinewithoutprescriptionrx.net/rifadin.html no prescription pharmacy

The briefing note says at Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, the risks include clinics that are difficult to manage and patients with developmental disabilities are being admitted into the general population.

It says the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital’s facilities for child and adolescent mental health are housed in a small, poor quality space with safety risks and no access to secure doors.

The document also says the Grey Nuns Hospital has major capacity issues, and three patients with serious psychiatric problems are housed in the same room, while psychiatry for children, adolescents and adults at the Royal Alexandra Hospital are all sub-standard spaces that present risk to patients and staff.

It shows more mental health services are needed at the Sturgeon Community Hospital.

Notley says not only are there not enough beds, but patients and front-line workers are at risk.

“At the end of the day, it’s about ensuring that we can provide the care that these Albertans need. It’s about the staff but it’s about these folks that really need that kind of secure care so that they can get better and their condition can be stabilized. And that’s what we’re not doing well.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle2 weeks ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle3 weeks ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...