Rotary Flames House is located next to Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary. (Google Maps)

By rdnewsNOW staff

"difficult decision," says AHS

AHS redeploys staff from Calgary children’s respite facility

Dec 3, 2022 | 10:33 AM

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is redeploying staff from a facility in Calgary that helps dying children and their families to Alberta Children’s Hospital to help deal with an influx of respiratory virus patients.

The province says admissions at Rotary Flames House (RFH) will be paused and all respite care patients will be discharged by Tuesday.

Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary and Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital have been at or above 100 per cent capacity since last week.

In a statement, AHS says with respiratory viruses such as RSV, the flu, and COVID-19 surging in the community, Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) is experiencing sustained high volumes of acutely ill patients requiring care in our Emergency Department, Pediatric Intensive Care, and Inpatient Units.

“To help ensure the right care is available to the young patients that require inpatient care and support, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily pause respite admissions at Rotary Flames House (RFH) and redeploy our staff to assist in supporting patients at the hospital,” the statement says.

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“We will be working with all families currently using respite services over the coming days, with the goal of having all clients discharged from RFH respite care by Tuesday, Dec. 6. All other services provided at the RFH, palliative, end of life care will continue and will be temporarily relocated to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Grief support will also continue.”

AHS adds that it understands the temporary pause in respite services may be concerning and difficult for clients and families, and that they will do their best to resume this important service as soon as possible.

“These are extraordinary times, and we thank Albertans in advance for their support and understanding.”

(rdnewsNOW with files from The Canadian Press & CTV)