About eight mental health crisis treatment beds are being closed at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. According to the executive director for Addiction and Mental Health in Edmonton this step is being taken because of shortage of psychiatrists.

Mark Snaterse informed that about three new psychiatrists have been hired but they can not start working until later this year. The treatment beds are supposedly reopening by early fall.

Snaterse says that in the meantime the remaining staff will try to treat the same number of patients. He added, "So, because our numbers were going to be down over the summer, what we've decided to do is close on a very temporary basis. This is not a cost savings measure in any way and there's not going to be any layoffs at all. But we're going to temporarily close the eight beds that we have."

Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky emphasized, "There is a temporary closure of beds, but there are the same numbers of beds being made available in an adjacent unit and in the ER department, which will basically be staffed by the same number of people, providing the same services."