ALC stands for Alternate Level of Care. Despite years of discussion and warnings, the situation has worsened: over 800 ALC patients are currently waiting in hospitals for Nursing Home, Special Care beds and home care. This leads to long waits for sick patients in emergency rooms, sometimes
lasting days or weeks. Even converting offices and storage areas into hospital rooms hasn’t solved the problem.
Ken McGeorge, in one of his bi-weekly columns talks about this issue as well as Kelly Lamrock the Ombudsman who wrote a scathing report with several recommendations. There are hundreds of people all over the province who are talking about these crises. Yet government seems to be tinkering around the edges. Change requires leadership with a pragmatic plan.
Rather than oversimplifying the issue, I’ll begin by examining the data. For instance, after a preliminary review, it seems that the northern area of the province has adequate long-term care beds for ALC patients, whereas challenges are present in the south. A demand-and-supply model
should be developed for each municipality under the Regional Service Commissions. Graphically, the intersection point between demand and supply gives you the starting number to work with.
Additional factors—such as the availability of trained staff and the location of facilities within each area—must also be considered.
Besides calculating a figure, extrapolate the demand-to-supply ratio trend for the next five years. Baby boomers (born post-1945) are nearing their 80s, and their numbers will drop in the next five to ten years. A five-year plan is needed for informed decision-making. Additional factors include New Brunswick’s average age of 46, which could decline due to immigration; 80,000 immigrants have arrived in the past five years—about 10% of the population. Federal immigration policy will affect future trends, with current restrictions likely to continue for several years.
I’m certain we possess all the necessary details to make a well-informed choice. However, we might need to consult a New Brunswick economist to compile everything, and this task should take precedence.
Our Premier and Ministers are rightly addressing the long-standing and increasingly urgent need for greatly improved primary care, and trying to improve services related to mental health, youth and drug abuse. However, ALC challenges can be resolved within months with the right people at the table. Keeping sick patients in hallways and seniors imprisoned in hospitals is a serious disservice. Notwithstanding, there are many, many people working diligently to solving problems and we want to extend our gratitude. Action over words is what is needed. We may ruffle some feathers, but that is the cost of change. The system is broken so what do we have to lose by trying to do something new and creative.
The CCC has a team of experienced, learned people who have spent decades working in the health care system. Collectively we have the wisdom of Solomon and are willing to work pro bono to achieve needed change. All that needs to happen is to be asked!
Daryl K. Branscombe, Chair
Community of Creative Citizens