The shortage of doctors and hospital staff has again forced the temporary closure of some services in the three rural hospitals.
Exclusively at Rocky Mountain House Health Center, obstetrics is not available until Monday morning.
Expectant parents are advised to visit Red Deer Regional Hospital when care is needed – about an hour away.
The closure of Rocky Mountain House is in addition to the ongoing closure of obstetrics in Sundre and Rimbe.
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Fort Saskatchewan Hospital suspends services for pregnant women due to COVID-19 impact on staffing
Meanwhile on Friday night the Fairview Health Complex was without a doctor.
And the emergency department in Cold Lake will be without a doctor, from time to time, throughout the weekend until Tuesday.
Nurses will still be on site to triage patients.
The province is failing Albertans, the NDP said in a news release sent out on Saturday.
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“Nixon is failing his constituents by remaining silent while services are cut across all hospitals in his ride. Giving birth to children is one of the basic functions of a hospital, but now there is an expectation that parents will have to travel outside their communities to thank UCP,” said health critic David Shepherd.
“This crisis among hospital staff is the result of UCP’s war on health professionals and UCP’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Shepherd said.
“I am extremely concerned that as the pressure on our hospitals increases, we will see more closures. Jason Kopping and UCP continue to hide AHS’s two-week forecast on demand for hospital and ICU beds.
The latest wave of ER and obstetric closures follows the recent closures in the Swan River and Wabasca.
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