While many changes have been happening to the province’s health care system, the NDP opposition says those changes aren’t addressing the core problems.
Sarah Hoffman, the Shadow Minister for Health, says even with the restructuring of Alberta Health Services, many Albertans are still unable to see a doctor.
“Hiring a bunch of new CEO’s and setting up a bunch of more boards isn’t the kind of thing that most Albertans care about or are looking to for solutions. I think they’re hoping that when they call the doctors office, somebody answers the phone to make an appointment for them. This government has done nothing to make family doctors want to stay in the province and we’re seen a lot of turmoil. That’s probably the biggest pressure that I’m hearing from most people.”
While the government has reached a tentative compensation agreement for resident physicians, Hoffman says the government needs to “stop stalling” and sign the deal.
“They did negotiate a new compensation model and in the spring the Premier went and met with the doctors and said that it would be signed in a couple of weeks. Well, here we are about seven months later and the government keeps making excuses for why they haven’t moved forward on it. Who’s really paying the price are those patients who are seeing their doctors leave.”
Doctor shortages in several local communities have also resulted in some emergency room closures as well.
You can listen to the full interview below.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
