AHS President Verna Yiu thanks UNA for collaborative effort to reach agreement on PPE use in COVID-19 battle

Alberta Health Services President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu has sent a letter to United Nurses of Alberta President Heather Smith formally thanking her for UNA’s collaborative role in the effort to reach the Joint Statement on COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment on Friday, March 27.

“I very much appreciated both sides setting aside our differences and working towards a common path forward,” Yiu said in her letter.

She described the joint effort as “a testament to the commitment that we all have not only for our staff and teams but also in caring for Albertans.”

UNA, Alberta Health Services, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, Covenant Health, and the Health Sciences Association of Alberta signed the joint agreement on the safe and effective use of PPE in their collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agreement acknowledges that “during the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that the appropriate steps are taken to protect the health and safety of all health care workers while they provide high quality care to Albertans and prevent exposure to and transmission of COVID-19.” It also states that “it is critical to ensure that appropriate PPE is used by all staff and physicians, while also preserving supplies of specialized equipment for when they are required to provide care safely.”