by Kerry Towle, MLA - Special to Sylvan Lake News
The issue of urgent care in Sylvan Lake needs to be addressed with the same sense of urgency that its name suggests.
I have suggested in a letter to Health Minister Fred Horne some time ago, that residents of Sylvan Lake and area want and need an Urgent Care Centre to meet the medical needs of a population that is quickly expanding and that requires additional attention during the summer tourist-driven months.
The Urgent Care Committee has worked very hard to create a business case for urgent care in Sylvan Lake. Many dedicated and hard-working individuals have given their time and expertise to create a fiscally responsible plan that would assist the town and surrounding communities.
I have spoken to physicians, stakeholders and residents in the area and have offered to meet with the Urgent Care Committee chaired by Mayor Susan Samson.
As the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake constituency, I have offered my support to the committee so this issue may go forward to the minister in the next month or in the fall session which begins Oct. 23.
It is my thinking that we will need to look at our options and determine how we can best work together to make this happen. The fact that the committee’s request did not make it into the AHS Central Alberta Zone Integration Plan does not mean that the need is not there.
I receive many calls and emails on this topic and know that this issue is in the forefront among residents in this area.
I also suggest that an Urgent Care Centre in Sylvan Lake would relieve the pressure on Red Deer Regional Health Centre and provide much quicker service for more nonemergency procedures.
I look forward to working with the Urgent Care Committee in moving this project forward.