Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley used day two of the provincial general election to reiterate her claims that if elected, her party would do more to increase the number of physicians, nurses, and health specialists in the province.

Notley said they would be prepared to invest $350 million into the construction of community health centres over four years, and fund those centres with an additional $400 million to hire what the NDP is calling family health teams (also over four years).

The effect, she said, would be to add 4,000 allied health professionals to Alberta’s health care system.

“For the healthcare system itself, this plan means decreased pressure on ERs and ambulances, and lowered waits for acute care,” Notley said.

“It means doctors will have time to focus more on your medical care and less on paperwork. It means great places to work and provide comprehensive care for patients.”

When asked, Notley said that the NDP plan would not require a restructuring of Alberta Health Services.

“It requires thoughtful planning and adequate resources,” she said.

Tuesday’s announcement updated the NDP’s healthcare plan that was released in February of this year based on patient and provider feedback.

“One of the new elements of it is that we are talking about as part of the family health team. We’re going to expand the hours of the clinics, we’re going to ensure that the funding allows for both healthcare providers and patients to have a broader access over longer hours,” Notley said.

“We’ve also talked about how the funding will roll out a little bit further out than the two years we’d originally talked about.”