The provincial government says 25 per cent of acute care beds across the province are occupied by patients awaiting an alternate level of care.

Health Minister Lela Evans says the issue is even greater in central, where about 43 per cent of beds are occupied by patients waiting to move to a long-term care home, an at-home program or other alternatives.

Evans says that, in most cases, the province doesn’t have the staff, long-term care facilities, or beds to accommodate these patients’ needs.

“There’s no long-term care beds available. The space is not there, the beds are not there, the staff is not there. So we have to build that capacity,” she told reporters.
“We have to provide beds and facilities where people who need long-term care can go.”

Liberal Leader John Hogan says building a new hospital on Kenmount Road would help with the availability of beds.

“So I think we should be still looking at that new hospital. I know they’ve certainly made up their mind and said they’re not going to do it,” he said outside the House of Assembly chamber.

“I think that’s completely the wrong decision. Not only would it increase capacity, the fact of the matter is the acute care beds that we do have at that hospital and that facility is well past its best before date.”