This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
"It’s unrealistic to claim that a system in almost constant chaos can perform as well as it should,” says Elisabeth Ballermann, HSAA President.
Edmonton (13 June 2013) – Alberta’s health-care system is reeling as the provincial government once again shows its incompetence, says Elisabeth Ballermann, President of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA/NUPGE).
Alberta Health Minister fires entire provincial Health Services board
“Today’s dismissal of the board of Alberta Health Services (AHS) is just the latest in a long history of mismanagement and bungling,” says Ballermann, president of the union representing nearly 24,000 front-line health-care professionals.
“Health care has gone though three massive reorganizations and an unending number of other changes of varying scale and has been forced to undergo a rollercoaster funding ride that has led to severe and needless funding cuts. The government fired regional health boards and their CEOs, then AHS fired one CEO (Stephen Duckett) and now the Health Minister has now fired the entire board – a board that the government itself selected – and ordered another review of how the system operates,” she says.
Alberta government continuing on a path of chaos in health care
“This constant upheaval has consequences that are being felt by patients. It makes it increasingly difficult for our members to provide the level of care that Albertans deserve and front line staff are being laid off at this time. Despite the assurances from Health Minister Fred Horne that the most recent bombshell will not be noticed on the front lines, it’s unrealistic to claim that a system in almost constant chaos can perform as well as it should,” says Ballermann.
“Today’s news only adds to the recent uncertainty felt by vulnerable Albertans because of the government’s decisions to cut funding for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) and to change the model of home-care delivery. While the minister says he’s unsure Albertans continue to have trust and confidence in the ability of the AHS board to manage health care, the truth is that Albertans have lost faith in the government’s ability to manage this most important public service,” says Ballermann.
Vulnerable Albertans at risk with government decisions on health care
“What we are seeing today are yet more symptoms of a sick health-care system. If health-care in Alberta were a patient, thanks to Alberta government bungling, it would be in intensive care today,” she says.
“The minister says the government is committed to driving change in the health system. What changes it has proposed have been largely aimed at handing money and opportunities to for-profit corporations and have been forced onto patients without adequate consultation. There doesn’t seem to be a plan at all.”
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE