The UCP government is spending additional funding to create 10 new surge beds and six pediatric intensive care unit beds at the Southern Alberta Children’s Hospital..The funding will also add 12 new surge beds and one pediatric intensive care unit bed at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton..Budget 2023 will spend $12 million on new beds and dedicated staff to provide better access to pediatric hospital care..The UCP said Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary and the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton will be better equipped to care for the youngest Albertans, particularly when cases of respiratory illness spike in the fall and winter months..The UCP government stated that "respiratory illness season this past winter highlighted that additional surge capacity is needed in children’s hospitals.".Now, the UCP government claims that by adding more dedicated front-line health care workers, Alberta’s hospitals can provide a better level of care for patients and a better working environment for health professionals..“We know we need more beds and staff in our health care system, including specialized beds for young Albertans and the professionals needed to support them," Alberta Minister of Health Jason Copping said.."This new funding creates capacity in our system so we can respond to the evolving needs of Alberta families.”.The UCP government said the funding will also expand the hours of short-stay surgical units at both hospitals so they are open on the weekends..“The new funding will help ensure AHS has predictable staffing and flexible bed capacity to meet increased seasonal demand for inpatient pediatric care. These additional resources will support us in continuing to provide the best in care and treatment to our youngest Albertans," said Mauro Chies, president and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS)..AHS said it will also hire an additional 113 permanent, year-round critical care positions to support the increase in beds – 61 in Calgary and 52 in Edmonton..ASH said the new staffing resources provide additional capacity at children’s hospitals to meet the increasing demand for inpatient pediatric care..Alberta Children’s Hospital provides specialized treatment for children across Alberta and has grown to become a nationally and internationally recognized leader in pediatric medicine..The facility currently has 141 beds..The Stollery Children’s Hospital is a full-service pediatric hospital and centre for complex pediatric care and research..It currently has 236 beds..The Stollery is Western Canada’s referral centre for pediatric cardiac surgery and a national leader in organ transplantation. The Alberta Children’s Hospital is the pediatric referral centre in Alberta for bone marrow transplants.
