PrintUNA alarmed by Premier Smith’s intentions to further destabilize health care in Alberta
The answer does not lie in trying to frighten workers and make reckless changes
United Nurses of Alberta is deeply concerned about Premier Danielle Smith’s recent remarks to supporters at a private event in Drayton Valley about plans to transfer hospital ownership from Alberta Health Services to other organizations.
Even the suggestion of such reckless changes is dangerous and destabilizing to a health care system already in crisis.
There is no evidence to support Premier Smith’s claims that handing over public hospitals to other operators will save money, increase access for Albertans, or improve hospital services currently provided by AHS, which the respected Canadian Institute of Health Information found has management costs well below the average of Canadian health care systems.
On the contrary, such a scheme would dramatically increase costs by duplicating management and introduce more dysfunction and uneven distribution of essential medical services throughout the province.
The basis of Smith’s claims appears to be her ideological commitment to privatization.
Her statement that giving away public health assets to be managed by other operators will frighten AHS employees and managers into doing a better job are ludicrous and insulting. Such a management strategy will have the opposite effect.
As the representative of Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses employed by Alberta Health Services and other publicly funded employers, UNA understands that the extreme uncertainty prompted by statements about further dismantling public health care will drive more experienced health professionals from the system and make recruitment of nurses in particular more difficult.
UNA urges Premier Smith to listen and pay attention to nurses and other health care workers about how best to protect and improve health care in Alberta and stop encouraging changes that will do further damage.
