Nurses, doctors call on Alberta government to back down from health-care restructuring – CBC

Unions say they weren’t consulted prior to this week’s announcement

Nov 09, 2023

There are growing calls for the Alberta government to put the brakes on its plan to gut Alberta Health Services and restructure health-care delivery in the province.

Front-line workers and unions say they weren’t consulted about the plan to hive off health-care provision into four new organizations, and they worry the move will drive health-care workers away and jeopardize patient care.

“I’m very angry,” said Heather Smith, president of the United Nurses of Alberta.

She’s concerned the overhaul will spark chaos at a time when hospitals are already under intense strain.

“What we have is a crisis in terms of people capacity [and] bed capacity,” said Smith.

“We desperately need to retain the resources we have and recruit new resources. There couldn’t have been a worse treatment prescribed.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/nurses-doctors-alberta-health-care-restructuring-1.7024460