The United Nurses of Alberta is hosting a series of events on Thursday to raise awareness on proposed provincial cuts to healthcare.
Two of these information walks will be in the Peace Region.
One will be held throughout the day by the Peace River Health Centre and Sunderland Place and there will be a walk from the Fairview Health Complex to the post office from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
UNA Second Vice-President, Cameron Westhead, refers to a letter in which Alberta Health Services indicted to the union that as many as 500 full-time jobs could be in jeopardy.
“Eliminating these jobs, closing facilities and acute care beds is going to make access to healthcare more difficult for patients and increase risks in those facilities,” says Westhead.
Westhead says the information walks are to make the public aware of the cuts and how they will affect healthcare.
While there will be demonstrations all over Alberta, Westhead says healthcare is especially important in rural Alberta.
“In rural communities, hospitals and healthcare can often be one of the largest employers,” points out Westhead.
“It can also have impacts on local economies. Nurses like to shop in their communities, go out to local restaurants and support local businesses so it is not just healthcare cuts we are concerned about but also the ripple effects that can have on small communities.”
To see the letter that AHS sent to the UNA, click here.
