Alberta government knew about NICU pressures before this week's letter from doctors
CBC
Front-line staff are pushing back against the provincial government's response to what they call a "crisis" in Alberta's neonatal intensive care units, calling it "short-sighted" and "frustrating."
A group of Edmonton doctors sent an open letter to the health minister this week, outlining concerns about a shortage of staff and beds in the province's NICUs.
But it wasn't the first time they'd raised the alarm.
There were earlier warnings in 2022 and 2023. And a private letter was sent to the health minister by neonatologists from Calgary and Edmonton in early February detailing the situation and asking for a meeting.
"I don't feel that we are fully being heard and fully being engaged with," said Dr. Alixe Howlett, a Calgary-based neonatologist who signed the February letter and said they have yet to get that meeting.
"That concerns us because we're not advocating for ourselves, we're advocating for our patients. And so their voices aren't being heard."
According to Howlett, two babies, on average, are transferred between Calgary zone hospitals every day due to bed and staffing shortages in neonatal intensive care units.
"We have been very clear what the resources needed are: beds and staff."
Earlier this week, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange did not answer directly when asked by CBC News about the February letter.
The health minister's office has since confirmed it received the February correspondence from Calgary and Edmonton neonatologists and an investigation was ordered into the concerns at the time.
But it wasn't until this week's letter, which was made public, that the minister expedited that work.
"The minister's office received the February letter, and directed officials to investigate the concerns," press secretary Andrea Smith said in a statement emailed to CBC News.
"At the time of the February letter, the department had already been engaging on how to address this issue. Alberta Health, AHS and Covenant Health have continued to work closely to address these concerns in short- and long-term planning for both capacity and workforce."
According to the minister's office, workforce and NICU capacity have been an ongoing issue that are monitored closely.
