AHS board dismissal must not undermine efforts to fix nurse staffing crisis

Structural changes to Alberta Health Services should be evidence-based and not undermine efforts to fix the nurse staffing crisis.

“I am hopeful that Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Health Jason Copping understand that destabilizing the health care system any further will not improve the high-quality patient care Albertans depend upon,” United Nurses of Alberta President Heather Smith said. “Any decisions regarding major structural change to the public health care system must be evidence informed.”

“The dismissal of the Alberta Health Services Board must not undermine Premier Smith’s directive to address health care staffing challenges,” said the UNA President. “The Premier’s mandate letter to the Health Minister instructs him to attract health care professionals in Canada and abroad and identify strategies to attract and retain health care workers.”

“Retention and recruitment will be key to fixing the staffing crisis and that will require additional resources,” said UNA’s Smith. “Nurses look forward to working with Minister Copping and AHS Official Administrator Dr. John Cowell to fix the staffing crisis.”

United Nurses of Alberta is the union for more than 30,000 Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses and allied health workers in Alberta.