Edmonton – The Official Opposition has obtained two memos from Alberta Health Services revealing a serious crisis in mental health care.

The memos, both dated September 14, 2011, are from Dr. Richard Hibbard, the Edmonton Zone Clinical Department head for Alberta Addiction and Mental Health. The first memo, sent to all psychiatrists in the Edmonton Zone, states “The Edmonton Zone is currently experiencing a critical (emphasis original) demand for inpatient mental health beds in the region. Any possible patient discharges are deeply appreciated.” The second memo notes a significant backlog of patients waiting for inpatient beds in the Edmonton Zone, and states “Alberta Hospital Edmonton is currently experiencing an acute shortage of psychiatrists. In order to avoid any bed closures, we are asking if there are any zone psychiatrists who would be willing to provide locum services…”

“For the department head to openly plead for additional psychiatrists and patient discharges to clear space is a deeply, deeply troubling development,” Swann says. “Our mental health care system is under enormous pressure – there simply aren’t enough health care professionals to meet the demand and as a result Albertans with mental health problems could be forced onto the streets.”

Swann says the government must follow the many outstanding recommendations of Auditors General past and present, who in successive reports have criticized the government for their poor performance in providing mental health services to Albertans.

“As the Auditor General has repeatedly said, Alberta needs provincial standards for mental health services and a properly implemented mental health plan, as well as more mental health professionals – Alberta has 20 percent fewer mental health beds than the number recommended by the Canadian Psychiatric Association,” Swann says. “Albertans with mental illnesses are not getting the level of treatment they need. The government is failing these Albertans, and incurring greater costs to the taxpayer through lost productivity, homelessness and greater usage of emergency rooms by mentally ill Albertans who have no place else to go.”

“These damning memos show that overburdened and demoralized staff clearly could not handle the volume coming in the door,” says Official Opposition Leader Raj Sherman. “I want to know exactly how many mentally ill Albertans were kicked to the curb and what happened to them afterward. This is tragic and unacceptable. Albertans deserve better.”

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Attached: AHS memos on mental health

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