(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By rdnewsNOW staff

planning dollars only

Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre expansion not part of Alberta’s budget

Oct 24, 2019 | 4:43 PM

The first budget from Alberta’s United Conservative Government does not include capital funding for Red Deer Regional Hospital expansion.

Instead, the capital plan for the budget tabled Thursday by Finance Minister Travis includes “planning funds for potential future projects such as redevelopment of the Red Deer Regional Hospital,” as well as the Misericordia and Royal Alexandra hospitals in Edmonton.

Three million dollars has been allocated for the current fiscal year, followed by $2 million in 2020-21 and $1 million in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

RELATED: Budget 2019: Debt still grows but path to balance mapped out

The former NDP Government had committed to moving forward with Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre in its throne speech before being defeated in the provincial election in April.

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“There’s less money (in the budget) for acute care in hospitals and if you live in Red Deer, and were counting on a badly needed re-build of the hospital, you’re out of luck,” said NDP leader Rachel Notley.

“It is a bit disappointing to hear that we are not seeing anything more concrete planned. At the same time we are happy to hear that funding has been allocated to planning.” says Dr. Kym Jim with the Society for Healthcare Expansion for Central Alberta (SHECA).

“What we really need to see is what the details are of that planning. And we really need to see that the planning occurs and is moving along because at the current pace central Alberta will not see a net new hospital bed at the busiest referral centre in the zone for over 30 years.”

The last expansion at Red Deer Regional was in 2003, and Kim says it could take until 2030 for future expansion to be planned out and completed if things continue at their current pace.

“We are very much committed to working with government and providing insights into what people and patients are experiencing on the ground in terms of lack of (care) delivery in certain areas in Red Deer,” he adds.

Kim says central Alberta patients are waiting longer for certain surgical procedures in central Alberta. There is also the well-publicized lack of cardiac catheterization services at Red Deer Regional that is forcing patients to be taken to Edmonton or Calgary for treatment, and the ongoing capacity issues that often lead to patients being transferred to other hospitals in the zone.

“We are very hopeful that this government will work towards solving this problem. But it will be the job of society to make sure that people know along the way exactly what the people of central Alberta are experiencing. We will continue to bring those concerns forth.”

Kim does recognize the difficult financial situation the province finds itself in, but insists the appropriate planning for hospital expansion still needs to be done.

“What we can’t afford to see is more time lost. The original plan was announced over a year and a half ago for the business plan to be completed. Nothing has moved on that business plan to this date.”

Previously approved funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre (new courthouse) is included in the capital plan to the tune of $178 million over the next four years.

There is also $5 million allocated in 2019-20 for further work on the Gaetz Ave./Taylor Drive interchange.