The Sheep River Nurse Practitioners Clinic in Okotoks is closing in the new year.

Highwood MLA Wayne Anderson says it would be tragic if that's allowed to happen.

"They're on the front lines, you can walk in off the street and get health care services without the need of seeing a doctor, whether it's physical or clinical, but when they requested information regarding the funding model they've yet to get an answer," he says.

Anderson says it may be just a fight between Alberta Health Services and the new government but it needs to be addressed.

"I'm not sure but I think these people are caught in the middle of something that's very tragic," Anderson says. Several people in Okotoks will not be able to get primary health care and they'll be relying on the current physicians in the constituency and definitely a limited number of them both in High River and Okotoks, so it's going to be a big strain on the health care system for both people in High River and Okotoks."

He says he's approached Health Minister Sarah Hoffman and was told inquiries would have to come from the Wildrose health critic and when he raised the issue in the Legislature she said it was the first time she's heard of it.

Anderson says the NDP is always claiming the Wildrose party wants to let front line staff go, but the minister is doing that herself.

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