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The province’s health authority is laying off 23 nurses at a Calgary hospital as it converts an entire ward of surgical beds to sub-acute spaces that will house patients awaiting placement in a nursing home.

Officials at Alberta Health Services say this month’s changes at the Peter Lougheed Centre are expected to save $500,000 a year, but they insist it will not result in any reduction in the number of procedures performed at the northeast facility’s operating rooms.

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“The decision to convert the beds has been made as there has been high demand for sub-acute beds for patients who need extra time in hospital before returning home, or who are waiting for placement in a continuing care facility,” AHS spokesman Bruce Conway said in a prepared response to questions.

“Although these patients do need hospital beds, they do not require an acute care bed, which is typically used for post-surgical patients or other patients with with more complex health needs.”