calgary_news
-
Funding delays for new supervised consumption services are unacceptable
Funding delays for new supervised consumption services are unacceptable
On Friday, May 31, the UCP government announced that they will be suspending funding for supervised consumption sites currently under development in Medicine Hat and Red Deer, and a mobile consumption site in Calgary. Jason Luan, Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, indicated that his party will also be conducting a review of all existing sites, and that they will be “looking at consumption sites in light of the whole strategy – the overall strategy of intervention and treatment. It is a whole scan, from awareness, prevention and intervention to treatment.” The review has halted the development of the three proposed sites, and its results could impact the continued funding of existing sites across the province.It was a serious escalation in opioid-related deaths in Alberta that prompted a harm reduction response in the form of the approval of supervised consumption services, initially in 3 urban centres: Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge. The central tenet of harm reduction is the reduction of stigmas and judgments about drug use and addiction, and is based on the understanding that there are people who engage in these behaviors who are not willing or not able to stop doing so. Harm reduction aims to reduce the health risks associated with these behaviors, such as public safety concerns like public drug use and discarded needles, the transmission and spread of blood-borne infections, overdose, and ultimately death.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
June 03, 2019 -
Show me your friends, I'll tell you who you are
MEDIA RELEASE
OCTOBER 5, 2018
EDMONTONShow me your friends, I'll tell you who you are
Today the United Conservative Party will be hosting Premier Doug Ford in Calgary. This alliance between Premier Ford and Alberta Premier hopeful Jason Kenney, is in short, a concerning one for those of us who are wary about a potential repeat of the massive cuts that Ontario has been experiencing under Ford's leadership.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
October 05, 2018 -
#TBT: Fall of the General Hospital
Throw Back Thursday:
Fall of the General Hospital, October 4th, 1998
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the demolition of the Calgary General Hospital. Between 1992 and 2006, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein devoted his attention to eliminating Alberta’s budget deficit. Under his leadership, claiming health care to be one of the areas requiring the most ‘constraints’, Klein oversaw significant cuts to the health budget.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
October 04, 2018 -
Sundre Bed Closures Show Lack of Commitment to Care and Community
Friends of Medicare are calling on Alberta Health Services to consult with and respect the wishes of the people of Sundre and the long-term care residents in the Sundre hospital.
-
Victorian Order of Nurses Closure Another Example of Failure in Private Care
After announcing today that they will be ceasing operations in Alberta, home care provider Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) have demonstrated yet again why experiments in private care must be ceased."This is now twice since 2013 AHS has lost a contract for home care services," said Friends of Medicare Executive Director Sandra Azocar. "Home care should not be subject to the pressures of a competitive market. It's clear that instead of a race to the top for quality care, we have a race to the bottom to slash costs which squeezes out not-for-profit groups like VON."
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
November 25, 2015 -
As Spring returns every year, so do "feel good" announcements in election season
Health Minister Stephen Mandel and Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO Vickie Kaminski held a press conference today to announce measures that aim to improve access to health care. However, the announcement raised more questions than answers. Mandel announced that they will be 'reallocating' $50 million from existing health care funds to the Peter Lougheed Hospital, South Health Campus, Misericordia Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, and Grey Nuns Hospital to renovate and expand ER facilities.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
March 11, 2015 -
"Stock market" approach to health care cannot continue
Friends of Medicare was appalled to hear that the Alberta Government is delaying the long-awaited cancer centre planned for Calgary. The government first promised funding to increase capacity for cancer care in 2005, and last year the government promised a world-class cancer facility would be open in Calgary by 2020. Now they are refusing to commit to a timeline for its completion.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
December 19, 2014 -
Centralization of Ambulance Dispatch Services in Calgary Will Add Further Stress to Emergency System
"When you are in a life-and-death situation seconds do count," says Friends of MedicareThe plan to continue the centralization of Ambulance Dispatch System in Calgary continues full steam ahead despite the wishes of Albertans, says Friends of Medicare.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
October 09, 2014 -
NOW YOU SEE HIM, NOW YOU DON'T: PRENTICE DISAPPEARS FROM BOARD OF HOLDINGS COMPANY THAT OWNS $4,495-A-YEAR CONCIERGE CLINIC
Premier-to-be must level with Albertans about his personal financial interest in elitist private health careIn May 2012, Jim Prentice joined the Board of Coril Holdings Ltd. Coril is a Calgary-based private investment company that owns Inliv, a big medical clinic in Calgary which aggressively markets a product called "Total Health Management," at a cost of $4,495 a year.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
June 06, 2014 -
Closure of Banff Mineral Springs Hospital maternity beds another slap in the face to rural families
Friends of Medicare is standing in support of Banff community members and physicians who are in court today asking for an injunction and a judicial review to keep the maternity beds open at the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
March 23, 2013