South Calgary Health Centre shortens urgent care hours due to staffing challenges

A Calgary health facility is shortening the amount of time it offers urgent care due to staffing issues.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced on Tuesday that urgent care at the South Calgary Health Centre (31 Sunpark Plaza) will be offered for 12 hours a day instead of 14.

The change, which started Tuesday, means patients can only access urgent care at the site between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., instead of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.

New patients will not be admitted after 8 p.m., AHS said.

When the facility is busy, staff may redirect or transfer new patients (that can safely do so) to nearby healthcare facilities up to two hours before closing to ensure previous patients can be provided the care and treatment they need.

AHS says the change is to ensure that patients are getting the care they need under the current staffing model.

"At this time, we are unable to increase staffing … due to workforce challenges," said a release.  

"All patients that require non-urgent care and treatment after 8 p.m. are asked to look at other care options, including making an appointment with your family physician, or visiting a walk-in or family care clinic."

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says it's an example of the systemic issues with public health and public health care. 

"We are seeing health care workers that are burned out, we are seeing them need to take a leave –  whether it's just to be with their family or to ctually take a break because of exhaustion.  They can't keep running like this."

One Calgarian waiting for his daughter to receive treatment said the reduction in hours didn't come as a surprise.

"The (healthcare) staff' has been worked to death," said Mitchell Deforest. "They've got their issues too. So again, it's not unexpected, so we're just going to have to deal with it, unfortunately."

According to an AHS spokesperson, the Urgent Care Centre at the South Calgary Health Centre currently sees an average of 145 patients per day (as of May 2022), a 26 per cent increase compared to January 2022, when it saw an average of 106 per day and an 18 per cent increase from pre-pandemic levels of 120 per day.

The spokesperson added that the number of patients presenting to urgent care after 8 p.m. has increased from 300 monthly in January 2020 to 585 monthly in May 2022.

They say the average number of patients waiting to be seen at 10 p.m. has increased from 9.8 in January 2022 to 20.9 in May 2022.

In an emergency, AHS is asking Calgarians to proceed to their closest emergency department or call 911.

Or, if you're unsure what care options are best for you, you can reach a registered nurse by calling Health Link 24 hours a day, seven days a week by dialing 811.