Talk about a huge victory against big government for the small town of Sundre.
When Alberta Health Services unexpectedly announced in March its intention to shut down the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre's 15 long-term care beds, this journalist certainly expected the resulting backlash from a community that was caught completely off guard.
What I did not expect was the ensuing cooperation, engagement and collaboration with both government and AHS officials, who actually seemed sincerely interested not only in hearing people's concerns but also working in tandem with the community to find a suitable alternative solution.
AHS — the provincial authority that is responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in the province — has been known to arbitrarily make decisions for small municipalities that the agency never reneged on despite vocal opposition from those communities.
So there really was little reason to believe they would be persuaded to change their tune in Sundre's case either.
And no doubt they never would have changed their plans had it not been for the coordinated effort of the community, which was largely spearheaded by the Sundre Hospital Futures Committee and the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding's MLA Jason Nixon.
In a nutshell, there were some serious concerns regarding AHS' decision to shut down all 15 long-term care beds at the hospital because there had been no community consultation to that point and a rather upsetting lack of data to back up the plan, which seemed short-sighted and poorly thought out.
Fast-forward just a few months from AHS' original announcement — community consultations have taken place, the hospital futures committee has provided government as well as AHS officials with invaluable input about the hospital from local medical professionals, and a completely revised plan that better suits the community's needs has been developed.
Most importantly, the hospital will retain five long-term care beds. But it will also gain four restorative care and overcapacity beds that were not available before. The facility's lab services will also be upgraded — at the cost of three beds in two rooms — to meet new national accreditation standards. Still, no part of the hospital will go unused.
“We're pretty excited about that,” said Gerald Ingeveld, chair of the Sundre Hospital Futures Committee, which formed specifically to make a case for the facility and the need to retain a local long-term care option. The committee is made up of local residents including municipal leaders, business leaders, physicians and employees at the hospital as well as community residents.
“It's very close to what we asked for.”
Residents should certainly find relief and solace in the fact the committee and local doctors are satisfied with the new plan.
In about a year, an in-depth review will further help determine what future services at the hospital will look like and how they'll be delivered.
In the meantime, Ingeveld said the committee remains confident, based on what doctors have shared, that the need for the beds outlined in the plan will be substantiated.
This resounding success story might have had a far different and less desirable outcome, so those who worked diligently to defend the hospital have earned our accolades.
They've also no doubt given a glimmer of hope to other rural communities that might face similar situations in the future.
