August 5, 2021
McLENNAN — Alberta Health Services (AHS) is temporarily reducing the number of acute care beds at the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre from 20 to 15 until Sept. 7 due to a staffing shortage.
This will not affect patient care as the site has sufficient capacity at this time. There are currently eight admitted patients with space for additional patients as needed. There are no other service disruptions at the site. All existing emergency services will remain open.
Resources are often adjusted to align with staffing levels, especially in summer when workforce levels are lower due to staff and physician vacations. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had an impact through staff redeployment and a depletion of the available pool of casual staff, a situation that’s affecting other health systems across Canada.
This temporary measure ensures patients at the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre will continue to receive safe, high-quality care. AHS will reopen the five closed beds before Sept. 7 if the staffing issue is resolved earlier than expected. AHS continues to look for solutions to address staffing needs, and will keep the community updated about ongoing local recruitment efforts. We thank the community for its understanding during this time.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
