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MORE LONG-TERM CARE BEDS

Liberals announce Sustainable Healthcare Strategy

Mar 31, 2019 | 7:53 PM

The Alberta Liberals spent day 13 of the election campaign focused on healthcare.

Leader David Khan announced the party’s Sustainable Healthcare Strategy, which includes a promise to build 2200 new long-term care beds over the next four years.

“Non-profit, faith-based and private companies are currently able to build these beds for half the cost. We will take advantage of this opportunity to save Albertans money,” Khan states.

“We will also invest another $150 million over the same period into homecare and assisted living. Many Albertans would be better served by long-term and homecare instead of taking up acute care beds. Both are significantly less costly. Albertans will see the immediate benefits.”

Khan adds that another $100 million will be invested towards expanding preventative care, which would first see the formation of a preventative healthcare taskforce.

The taskforce would be responsible for evaluating strategies to help reduce long-term costs without jeopardizing outcomes or access.

“In 20 years the costs of our healthcare system will skyrocket as the number of seniors in Alberta doubles. If we do not make our healthcare more sustainable this “grey wave” will break our system. We must take action today,” says Khan.

“The Alberta Liberal strategy will improve healthcare services. We will deliver those better services to all Albertans. Albertans need better Healthcare now, not in 10 years.”