Workers react to details of Alberta health-care system restructuring plan
Global News
After the government of Alberta released details about its plan to overhaul the healthcare system, frontline workers say the transition needs to be done properly to avoid disaster.
Goodbye Alberta Health Services — hello Alberta Hospital Services.
On Tuesday, legislation was tabled to set up the restructuring of Alberta’s health-care system and those on the frontlines are anxious as details of the overhaul are announced.
If Bill 22, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, is passed, Alberta Health Services will become the new acute-care sector authority called Alberta Hospital Services and will work alongside primary care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction care, which will be branched off.
While the program is rolling out, LaGrange will act as the oversight minister and the sector minister in acute, primary and continuing care, and Mental Health Minister Dan Williams will be the mental health and addiction sector minister.
AHS staff will be reorganized into four specific sectors, operating within more-defined parameters and with more government oversight. The government has stated there will be no job loss for staff who transition into the new organizations.
According to the province, each agency has specific focuses.
The primary care agency will ensure that every Albertan has access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner, acute care will work to reduce wait times and enhance access to care particularly in rural communities, and continuing care will focus on equitable access to services and the expansion of continuing-care options.
The mental health and addiction agency, Recovery Alberta, is set to be operational this summer, with the other three health authorities to follow in the fall of 2024. Around 10,000 front-line staff will be transitioning to Recovery Alberta, according to Williams.
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