EDMONTON — Yesterday, the provincial government announced a new name and logo for Acute Care Alberta, one of four new agencies the government is tasking with delivering healthcare services in place of Alberta Health Services. They also announced that the roll out of this new sector agency is now delayed from this fall into next spring, prolonging the confusion and chaos surrounding the government’s decision to restructure our public healthcare.
“With the addition of yesterday’s announcement, it is increasingly clear that this government has no real plan for the implementation of this massive overhaul of Alberta’s public healthcare,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare. “With so many healthcare concerns front and centre for Albertans, it’s unfathomable that new branding, business cards and building signage are the government’s top priority right now.”
This is happening as Alberta's population is booming while healthcare infrastructure and workforce growth has remained stagnant, and Albertans are increasingly concerned about whether or not they’ll be able to access the healthcare they need. Hundreds of thousands of Albertans don’t have a family physician, we’ve seen continuous, wide-spread Emergency Room closures due to short staffing, and people are enduring untenably long wait times for surgeries, cancer care and other health services.
“Rather than taking much-needed action to address the very real concerns that Albertans have about accessing healthcare right now, the Premier seems determined to put all of her government’s energy into her political vendetta against Alberta Health Services,” said Gallaway. “What we are watching roll out is a destructive plan to dismantle our public healthcare system, while capitalizing on the ensuing chaos to privatize as much as they can to for-profit interests.”
The chronic shortage of the skilled healthcare workers needed to deliver care to Albertans continues to impact every part of our healthcare system. There is a desperate need for a healthcare workforce plan focused on retention and recruitment. Instead, continued government inaction is driving doctors and other healthcare professionals out of Alberta.
“A shortage of doctors and other skilled health professionals is THE issue in our public healthcare system right now. We need our provincial government to be laser focused on the frontline workforce in order to stabilize our healthcare system," said Gallaway. “Where is the workforce plan? Where is the plan for retention and recruitment? Where is the respect for frontline workers? Instead, all we’re seeing is an obsession with governance chaos, baseless restructuring and further privatization schemes.”
Albertans deserve a healthcare system that's there for us when we need it. Friends of Medicare is calling on Albertans to come together in support of protecting and rebuilding our public healthcare.
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