News
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Auditor General’s report sets a clear path to improve wait times via public solutions, not private expansion
April 23, 2021
EDMONTON
Auditor General’s report sets a clear path to improve wait times via public solutions, not private expansion
The Auditor General’s report, Alberta Health Services Use of Publicly Funded CT & MRI Services, released on April 22nd, shows clearly that AHS has lost control of this important part of our health care system.
The recommendations made by the Auditor General made it clear that AHS and government can, if they choose, utilize unused capacity in public hospital operating rooms and diagnostics, organize access to care more effectively, scale up proven innovations in the public system, and ramp up capacity to improve access to care. Wait list, equity, and timeliness issues were clearly laid out and solutions provided. If unnecessary testing was curtailed, as has been started with MRIs in some provinces, funds could be redirected to needed care elsewhere in our public health care system. Better wait list management, improvements in primary care, and proven innovations in the public system have made a dramatic difference where they have been implemented.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 23, 2021 -
Bill 70 prioritizes the long-term care industry over the lives of Albertans
April 22, 2021
EDMONTON
Bill 70 prioritizes the long-term care industry over the lives of Albertans
Bill 70: COVID-19 Related Measures Act, introduced today, intends to ensure legal protection for health services facilities—including continuing care operators—facing lawsuits over illness or death due to exposure to COVID-19. If passed, Bill 70 will prevent families from being able to seek answers and hold care homes responsible for negligence of their loved ones.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 22, 2021 -
Seniors Advocate Act is much-needed move towards improving seniors’ care in Alberta
April 20, 2021
EDMONTON
Seniors Advocate Act is much-needed move towards improving seniors’ care in Alberta
Today the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills deliberated Bill 215: the Seniors Advocate Act, introduced by MLA Lori Sigurdson, critic for Seniors and Housing. An independent seniors advocate, like that in British Columbia, would serve as an independent officer of the legislature to help seniors navigate services, provide policy recommendations to the government, and conduct reviews on service providers to ensure seniors’ needs are met.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 20, 2021 -
Government continues to exploit pandemic surgery backlog to expand role of private care
EDMONTON
April 14, 2021
Government continues to exploit pandemic surgery backlog to expand role of private care
Yesterday, Alberta Health Services released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for ophthalmology chartered surgical facilities. The RFP is set to close mid-May 2021, and a contract will likely be awarded in fall 2021. While Albertans are trepidatiously looking towards the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, this government is barreling forward with their agenda of privatizing the very public health care system that we have all relied on throughout this pandemic.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 14, 2021 -
Health Minister's recognition of National Medical Laboratory Week falls flat
EDMONTON
April 12, 2021
Health Minister's recognition of National Medical Laboratory Week falls flat
On a Sunday afternoon, Health Minister Tyler Shandro released a statement in recognition of National Laboratory Week. In his statement, he highlighted the role that medical laboratory professionals have played during this pandemic as an integral part of the province’s COVID-19 response. He encouraged Albertans to “reach out and thank a medical laboratory professional for their untold contributions in building a strong health system." But despite these empty platitudes, the minister and this government continue to move forward with the privatization of our lab services.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 12, 2021 -
The UCP government pays $3M to high priced consultants to repackage and force their privatization agenda
March 26, 2021EDMONTON
The UCP government pays $3M to high priced consultants to repackage and force their privatization agenda
In July 2020, the UCP passed Bill 30: The Health Statutes Amendment Act, provincial legislation that proposes to cut approval times required for private surgical facilities. Shortly after, the government announced their intention to establish a "Health Contracting Secretariat," to build the health care delivery market and reduce barriers to market entry for larger corporate players.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
March 29, 2021 -
Advocates representing 1M+ Canadians call for national standards to improve quality, accountability & take profit out of LTC
March 22, 2021
Advocates representing more than 1 million Canadians call for national standards to improve quality, accountability and take profit out of long-term care
Edmonton/Across Canada – Today, advocates representing more than a million Canadians came together to demand that the federal government and provinces work together to establish national standards for long-term residential care. The groups released a legal opinion setting out a proposal for a commitment from the federal government to ongoing funding for long-term care with clear criteria requiring the provinces to improve quality, accountability and take profit out of seniors’ care.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
March 22, 2021 -
Commemoration of one year anniversary of COVID-19 shows disproportionate toll pandemic has taken on AB’s seniors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 11, 2021
Commemoration of the one year anniversary of COVID-19 shows the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on Alberta’s seniors
EDMONTON - March 11, 2021 marks the one year anniversary of the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, and seniors groups, labour groups, and advocacy groups are gathering outside of the Federal Building at the Legislature to install an visual representation of the lives we have lost to COVID-19, especially those of Alberta’s seniors who have been disproportionately affected. The visual will be a collection of roses, made by Erin Alyward, each one colour coded to show the age of the person we lost. The advocates and activists will also be joined by members of Alberta Arts Action Group, a group which blends arts and activism, who will sing and recite poetry as we mark this solemn occasion.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
March 11, 2021 -
Alberta Budget 2021
EDMONTON
February 25, 2021
Budget 2021 is a disingenuous attempt to cover the privatization of our health care
Just as Budget 2020 was pushed through with unrealistic forecasts for oil prices and subsequent unfeasible estimations for government revenue, Budget 2021 is being presented under the pretense of unrealistic forecasts for the health needs of Albertans. Quite simply, Budget 2021 is a cruel blow to our public health care system in favor of privatization.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
February 25, 2021 -
APWG: Bill C-213 important step towards a long-awaited national, universal Pharmacare
February 23, 2021
Bill C-213 important step towards long-awaited national, universal Pharmacare
EDMONTON - The Alberta Pharmacare Working Group (APWG) is encouraged by the tabling and subsequent debate of Bill C-213, An Act to Enact the Canada Pharmacare Act. If passed, this private member’s bill would create a framework for the implementation of a national pharmacare program modeled after the Canada Health Act, founded on the principles of public administration, comprehensiveness, universality, portability and accessibility. The Bill comes before the House of Commons in an historic vote tomorrow, February 24, 2021.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
February 23, 2021