Earlier this afternoon, the Premier and her health ministers held a press conference themed 'improving access to health care', where they released what the government is calling an Acute Care Action Plan.

EDMONTON — The government’s Throne Speech tabled this afternoon lays out an agenda for the fall session of the legislature that simply continues the chaotic restructuring and rapid privatization of public health care in Alberta.

EDMONTON — This afternoon, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) announced that, with a record turnout, their members have sent a clear message by voting to reject a tentative agreement with Alberta Health Services and other provincial health agencies and corporations. The union is calling on the Alberta government to "recognize their worth and the incredible pressure they work under.”

EDMONTON — As we head into mid-July, Alberta now has higher measles cases per capita than anywhere else in North America. Dozens of emergency rooms and health care facilities are experiencing closures due to chronic short staffing, while the government’s restructuring and privatization agenda continues to create chaos for health care workers and patients.

EDMONTON — Yesterday, an important new report was released by the Parkland Institute entitled, “Undervalued and Overstretched: Inequity, Discrimination, and the Crisis Facing Alberta’s Allied Health-Care Workforce.” It outlines the conditions driving widespread burnout and retention issues among Alberta’s health care workers.

EDMONTON — Friends of Medicare and activists within the disability community are returning to the Alberta Legislature today to renew our calls on the UCP government to improve our home care system. In March 2024 this petition was first tabled in the Legislature. More than a year later, our calls for improved home care funding and services in Alberta have remained ignored by this government. As of today, our petition has reached over 37,000 signatures in support, and will be tabled again in the Legislature today following Question Period.

EDMONTON — Yesterday, the Minister of Health announced yet another restructuring change for Alberta health care, creating another new agency called Cancer Care Alberta and sharing that later this year, cancer care will fall under Acute Care Alberta. No details were provided on how this will improve patient care, reduce our unacceptably long cancer treatment wait times, or address concerns from frontline health care workers.

EDMONTON — Earlier today, the Alberta government announced a new acute care funding model, which involves switching to activity-based funding for surgeries, rather than using global hospital budgeting, essentially moving to a voucher model. This is a concerning shift that will impact Alberta hospital’s budgets.

EDMONTON — A new report commissioned by Friends of Medicare from the Parkland Institute and authored by Rebecca Graff-McRae titled, Access Denied: How the Changing Accessibility of Health Care Services in Alberta Impacts Equity, highlights how reduced capacity and decreased access have resulted in unmet health care needs for Albertans. The report examines these challenges across acute care, primary care, continuing care, as well as mental health and addictions.

EDMONTON — Measles cases are growing in Alberta, with confirmed cases now in both major cities as well as the north zone, and one person already hospitalized. Doctors and public health experts are warning this is only the beginning of a very dangerous, very contagious virus, especially given the growing concerns about vaccination rates falling since the pandemic.