Doctor shortage, opioid epidemic main focus at Lethbridge election forums

How would candidates tackle the ongoing doctor shortage and the opioid epidemic?

These were some of the questions asked by a media panel and audience members during election forums at the Lethbridge public library this week.

Health care was the main topic of discussion, and with good reason. 

Lethbridge has an ongoing family doctor shortage and CBC news previously reported on the issues the community faces accessing obstetricians and reproductive care.

Nathan Neudorf of the United Conservative Party and the New Democratic Party's Rob Miyashiro are the only candidates running for the Lethbridge-East seat.

Both attended the forum but it was cut short when Miyashiro left early to attend party leader Rachel Notley's rally at the Galt Museum on Monday.

NDP incumbent Shannon Phillips, the UCP's Cheryl Seaborn and the Alberta Liberal Party's Pat Chizek were at the Lethbridge-West forum the following day. Alberta Party candidate Braham Luddu did not attend.

Dealing with the doctor shortage

When it comes to the ongoing shortage of family doctors, candidates disagreed on the source of the problem.

"Here in Lethbridge, we have seen first-hand what happens when a government in Edmonton does not take seriously its responsibilities to safeguard our health-care system or the workers who make it function," said Phillips.

Phillips referenced the UCP government's contract dispute with the Alberta Medical Association and past comments by party leader Danielle Smith related to privatizing health care.

Neudorf defended Smith, saying the comments she made were from her time in media do not represent her views as premier.

Miyashiro said he is doubtful Smith's views have changed in the two-year period since those comments were made.    

Training and retaining doctors in Lethbridge

Seaborn said that while the government will work to fix them, the issues predate the UCP coming into power.

According to Neudorf, this is not a problem for just Lethbridge or Alberta but a global one. 

"We're also trying to compete against the rest of the world for limited resources, specifically doctors, which is why training our own students to become doctors right here in Lethbridge is such a big step forward," he said.

Training more doctors in Lethbridge is a long-term solution that candidates from all three parties agreed on.

"We know that if physicians train here, they are more likely to stay here, outside the larger urban centres," said Phillips.

She said that if elected, the NDP would create a teaching clinic to ensure more doctors are trained in Lethbridge.

Seaborn pointed to a feasibility study that the province put $1 million toward in January as proof of her party's commitment to training and retaining doctors. The study will explore the possibility of training more doctors at the University of Lethbridge and Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie.

Chizek believes the government should look into tuition incentives that encourage doctors to stay in Alberta after they are trained. She suggested repaying doctors a year of their tuition for every year they stay and work in the province.

Neudorf said expanding emergency surgical capacity at the Chinook Regional Hospital is also needed to attract doctors long term.

"That's something independent of party or platform I think we need to look at as a vision for southern Alberta."

Miyashiro said the NDP will adopt a teams model for family health that integrates different health professionals to relieve the burden on doctors.

Candidates questioned on drug consumption site

The opioid epidemic and surrounding issues like public safety, homelessness and overdose deaths were another hot button topic.

While there is a temporary mobile overdose prevention site in Lethbridge, candidates were asked if they would support the return of a permanent supervised consumption site in the city.

UCP candidates were firmly opposed.

"It was not good for the businesses of downtown, and it was actually not good for those that have addictions," said Seaborn, who cited the drug court and treatment programs like FreshStart as alternative solutions.

Both NDP candidates spoke about the importance of a comprehensive approach to the opioid epidemic that involves multiple layers. However, they were pressed by audience members to give a yes or no answer on their party's stance on a permanent consumption site.

"No, because that is not something that I think that the City of Lethbridge, the fire chief, [Lethbridge Police Service] and others are asking for now as they were in 2016 and 2017. That clinic was a response to a specific set of conditions that are much, much different now," said Phillips.

Chizek said she would not support a standalone site but would if it included other supports. 

It cannot be just one thing … you have to actually have a multi-faceted approach. It's like a one-legged chair and that's great if it's a bar stool, but we're talking about a chair," she said.

The provincial election is set for May 29.