News

  • Surgical wait time initiative announcements leave Albertans with more questions than answers

    December 10, 2019
    EDMONTON

    Surgical wait time initiative announcements leave Albertans with more questions than answers
     
    In a press conference this morning, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced the government’s plan to reduce surgical wait times in Alberta. The minister confirmed that the planning for the surgical initiative was informed by the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative (which     ultimately failed to solve wait-time issues in Saskatchewan) but was unable to clarify the lessons that this government is taking from its failure.
     
    Despite the effort with which Minister Shandro tried to mask the true underlying ideology of the initiative – namely privatization – the true intent was clear. What’s worse is that today’s announcement came with no monetary figures, no timelines, and no details. “Just as we’ve seen with previous conservative governments, the minister is once again asking Albertans to accept major changes to their health care system on faith alone, without revealing any of the details as to how this will affect costs or the quality of care to patients,” says Sandra Azocar, executive director of Friends of Medicare.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    December 10, 2019

  • Black Friday announcements signal dark days ahead for public health care

    Black Friday announcements signal dark days ahead for public health care
     
    Announcements made on Black Friday of the loss of well over 5,100 front-line health care jobs highlights the deep disdain for public services that our current government holds.
     
    “These announcements were a clear move away from the collectivism that drives our social programs, a move away from the caring and compassion that is necessary to advance our society. It was a reiteration of a commitment to an endless quest to privatize our needed public services,” states Sandra Azocar, executive director of Friends of Medicare.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    December 02, 2019

  • Cuts to front-line staff is not the solution to balancing the budget and it is not what Albertans voted for

    Cuts to front-line staff is not the solution to balancing the budget and it is not what Albertans voted for
     
    On Friday morning, Albertans learned that 500 front-line Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses will lose their jobs over the next three years. The United Nurses of Alberta estimate this loss of staff will equate to more than a million fewer hours of care for patients.
     
    “In an already overstretched system, this attempt to save money by eliminating front-line staff can only be seen as nonsensical,” stated Sandra Azocar, executive director of Friends of Medicare.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 29, 2019

  • Bill 207 puts personal beliefs of health care providers ahead of professional obligations to patients

    November 16, 2019
    EDMONTON

    Bill 207 puts personal beliefs of health care providers ahead of professional obligations to patients
     
    Bill 207: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act was introduced by Peace River MLA Dan Williams on November 7. After passing first reading, Bill 207 was referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members Public Bills. On November 18th, this committee — comprised of 4 NDP and 7 UCP MLAs —will meet to determine if this bill has the merits to proceed for fulsome debate in the legislature.
     
    This bill is a veiled attack on access to legal health care services such as abortion, gender affirming care, and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). If passed, Bill 207 will create major delays and barriers to people accessing medically necessary services in a province where access is already very difficult.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 16, 2019

  • Bill 207 is a political attack on Albertans' access to legal health care services

    November 7, 2019
    EDMONTON

    Bill 207 is a political attack on Albertans' access to legal health care services

     
    Peace River MLA     Dan Williams' introduction of private member’s Bill 207: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act, is a disingenuous political attack on access to legal health care services such as abortion and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). By using the narrative of ‘conscience rights’ the UCP government and MLA Williams do not mean the freedom of conscience afforded under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This narrative simply points directly to the right of a provider of public services to provide those services selectively. 

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 07, 2019

  • The future of Laboratory Services in Northern Alberta still uncertain under Budget 2019

    The future of Laboratory Services in Northern Alberta still uncertain under Budget 2019
    Budget 2019 released yesterday referred only briefly to the issue of laboratory services, indicating that we will see the removal of the Edmonton Clinical Laboratory Hub project, which was set to cost $579 Million. “Budget 2019 makes no mention or addresses any moneys being allocated to a future facility or to renew much needed equipment,” indicates Sandra Azocar, executive director of Friends of Medicare.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 28, 2019

  • Alberta Budget 2019

    Restrained spending in budget 2019 is the wrong prescription for Alberta

    Although budget 2019 sees a slight increase in spending in health care (1%), it does not meet inflation and population growth (3.5%). "When a government is not able to provide health care to meet the needs of a growing population, it is a cut," says Sandra Azocar, executive director of Friends of Medicare. "As one goes down line by line through the budget, what we're seeing is a decrease in most areas of the health care budget."

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 24, 2019

  • LPNs will see their role expanded in 2020, but no clear commitment to increased supports

    LPNs will see their role expanded in 2020, but no clear commitment to increased supports

    On Thursday afternoon, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced that he is widening the scope of practice for licenced practical nurses (LPNs). This expansion will come into effect on February 1st, 2020, and will impact over 16,000 LPNs across Alberta.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 17, 2019

  • Friends of Medicare stands with the 53 workers from Vegreville Century Park as they fight to save their jobs.

    “Alberta open for business” resonates loudly in Alberta’s broken seniors’ care system –

     
    At noon on October 7th, Friends of Medicare will be standing side by side with the 53 workers from Vegreville Century Park, as they fight to save their jobs. 
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 07, 2019

  • Government-appointed “Blue Ribbon Panel” sets the stage for 4 years of unwarranted austerity budgets

    Although health care took a back seat to “jobs, pipelines, economy” during the recent election, it was expected and reasonable to assume that health care should now become a much spoken about subject area.
     
    The UCP appointed Janice MacKinnon to chair the Blue Ribbon Panel, and to look into our province’s expenditures. The panel was given a very narrow mandate to examine expenses but not revenues, which will come later on in the UCP mandate. Instead, the panel was tasked with recommending a path to a balanced budget by the year 2022-23, without raising taxes.
     
    “With the release of the much awaited ‘Blue Ribbon Panel report,’ we heard what we can expect from this government, and it confirmed that Albertans will be faced with 4 years of unwarranted austerity budgets and imposed legislative changes,” indicates Sandra Azocar, executive director Friends of Medicare.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    September 03, 2019