Tyler Dawson
44 YEARS OF THE ONE PARTY STATE OF PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES
AND THEIR AUSTERITY IDEOLOGY RETURN AS A SPECTRE OF ITSELF
AS THE UCP
EDMONTON — Even as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating, the Alberta government is forging ahead with a multi-year plan for cuts to ancillary health-care services, including privatizing laboratory work and laundry services, with the aim of saving some $600 million annually.
The United Conservative Party has long promised to rein in provincial spending and, by extension, get a grip on health-care spending, which has an operating budget in excess of $20 billion and accounts for 42 per cent of government spending.
The cuts announced Tuesday amount to 11,000 jobs over the next few years, some 9,700 of them from services such as laundry and food preparation, and a further 1,300 care and support staff because of attrition.
Alberta health minister Tyler Shandro said there will be no cuts to frontline medical staff during the pandemic; any job losses to such staff will come as the result of attrition, or under “existing initiatives.”
“This approach will ensure Alberta’s pandemic response remains our top priority,” Shandro said.
The Alberta government sees the latest round of cuts as complementary to another government promise — to tackle wait times, which have grown during the pandemic. Last month, Shandro said they were going to “keep that promise, pandemic or no pandemic.”
The government predicts the changes would save $600 million annually, and savings would be put back into patient care. The cuts would total roughly 2,000 laboratory jobs, 4,000 housekeeping jobs, 3,000 food service jobs and 400 laundry jobs.
Shandro said 68 per cent of laundry services and 70 per cent of laboratory services are already contracted out. The cuts to housekeeping and food preparation won’t come until Alberta Health Services (AHS) develops a business case for each, due in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
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“This looks like, really, standard-type management reorganization within the health-care sector,” said Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute. “It’s not so much that there’s now $600 million that can be spent elsewhere, it’s that this action will prevent $600 million being spent.”
Dr. Michael Rachlis, a professor at the University of Toronto in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said it’s possible the initiative will save money, but there are catches.
“Without a detailed analysis we don’t know if there’s actually going to be money saved or not. AHS will still be paying for laundry, it just won’t be done by AHS employees,” Rachlis explained.
Any cuts to health-care services or changes to health care more broadly, have become a flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shandro has been involved in acrimonious negotiations with the Alberta Medical Association regarding physician pay and extra billing. There has also been a substantial back-and-forth between the government and doctors about whether or not physicians are absconding to sunnier pastures.
As well, the province has a plan to allow private surgical clinics to try and clear out a backlog of surgery patients, another promise of the UCP.
“Is there any evidence that privatizing the surgery would save any money? It might, but there’s a compelling case that suggests it might not,” said Rachlis.
The Alberta government, according to its August fiscal update, spent $2.5 billion on its pandemic response.
John Church, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta who studies health policy, pointed out that the push for more private medical treatment in the province “isn’t new for Alberta.”
“The tactical advantage here is that they’re counting on a population that has bought into the ideology that they’re pitching. And historically, they’re actually fairly accurate,” Church said.
The New Democrat opposition party has repeatedly attacked Jason Kenney’s government for moving towards what they see as “American-style” private health care.
NDP leader Rachel Notley, called the Tuesday health-care cuts “completely irresponsible.”
With files from the Edmonton Journal and The Canadian Press
Alberta government to cut up to 11,000 health-care jobs
EDMONTON — The Alberta government will cut up to 11,000 jobs at Alberta Health Services to save money — a move the Opposition says is cruel and will create chaos in the health-care system.
"Today's announcement is an excellent step to make Alberta's health-care system more efficient," said Franco Terrazzano, the Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
"Alberta's businesses do a great job of doing laundry and preparing meals, so this is a no-brainer to help relieve some of the mounting costs to taxpayers."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.
The Canadian Press
© Provided by National Post Health Minister Tyler Shandro.
WHO HAS NO CLUE ABOUT HIS JOB AS HE HAS NO MEDICAL OR HEALTH
WHO HAS NO CLUE ABOUT HIS JOB AS HE HAS NO MEDICAL OR HEALTH
EDUCATION NOR EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING LARGE CORPORATIONS
EDMONTON — Even as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating, the Alberta government is forging ahead with a multi-year plan for cuts to ancillary health-care services, including privatizing laboratory work and laundry services, with the aim of saving some $600 million annually.
The United Conservative Party has long promised to rein in provincial spending and, by extension, get a grip on health-care spending, which has an operating budget in excess of $20 billion and accounts for 42 per cent of government spending.
The cuts announced Tuesday amount to 11,000 jobs over the next few years, some 9,700 of them from services such as laundry and food preparation, and a further 1,300 care and support staff because of attrition.
Alberta health minister Tyler Shandro said there will be no cuts to frontline medical staff during the pandemic; any job losses to such staff will come as the result of attrition, or under “existing initiatives.”
“This approach will ensure Alberta’s pandemic response remains our top priority,” Shandro said.
The Alberta government sees the latest round of cuts as complementary to another government promise — to tackle wait times, which have grown during the pandemic. Last month, Shandro said they were going to “keep that promise, pandemic or no pandemic.”
The government predicts the changes would save $600 million annually, and savings would be put back into patient care. The cuts would total roughly 2,000 laboratory jobs, 4,000 housekeeping jobs, 3,000 food service jobs and 400 laundry jobs.
HOUSEKEEPING IS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IN THE PANDEMIC
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN A SPECIALISED CLEANING JOB
FOOD SERVICE IS PERSONAL AS WELL, FOOD WOULD BE CONTRACTED OUT TO AN EXSITING COMMERCIAL SERVICE LIKE ARAMARK
Shandro said 68 per cent of laundry services and 70 per cent of laboratory services are already contracted out. The cuts to housekeeping and food preparation won’t come until Alberta Health Services (AHS) develops a business case for each, due in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
THERE IS NO SAVINGS WHEN WORKERS ARE CONTRACTED OUT AS THE CONTRACTOR INCREASES COSTS ANNUALLY, WHILE NOT PASSING THOSE BENEFITS ON TO ITS WORKERS
Second wave reaches western Canada as Alberta sees surge of COVID-19 cases
Alberta outlines government-wide strategy for attracting new investment to province
“This looks like, really, standard-type management reorganization within the health-care sector,” said Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute. “It’s not so much that there’s now $600 million that can be spent elsewhere, it’s that this action will prevent $600 million being spent.”
Dr. Michael Rachlis, a professor at the University of Toronto in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said it’s possible the initiative will save money, but there are catches.
“Without a detailed analysis we don’t know if there’s actually going to be money saved or not. AHS will still be paying for laundry, it just won’t be done by AHS employees,” Rachlis explained.
Any cuts to health-care services or changes to health care more broadly, have become a flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shandro has been involved in acrimonious negotiations with the Alberta Medical Association regarding physician pay and extra billing. There has also been a substantial back-and-forth between the government and doctors about whether or not physicians are absconding to sunnier pastures.
As well, the province has a plan to allow private surgical clinics to try and clear out a backlog of surgery patients, another promise of the UCP.
“Is there any evidence that privatizing the surgery would save any money? It might, but there’s a compelling case that suggests it might not,” said Rachlis.
The Alberta government, according to its August fiscal update, spent $2.5 billion on its pandemic response.
John Church, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta who studies health policy, pointed out that the push for more private medical treatment in the province “isn’t new for Alberta.”
“The tactical advantage here is that they’re counting on a population that has bought into the ideology that they’re pitching. And historically, they’re actually fairly accurate,” Church said.
The New Democrat opposition party has repeatedly attacked Jason Kenney’s government for moving towards what they see as “American-style” private health care.
NDP leader Rachel Notley, called the Tuesday health-care cuts “completely irresponsible.”
With files from the Edmonton Journal and The Canadian Press
Alberta government to cut up to 11,000 health-care jobs
EDMONTON — The Alberta government will cut up to 11,000 jobs at Alberta Health Services to save money — a move the Opposition says is cruel and will create chaos in the health-care system.
© Provided by The Canadian Press
Health Minister Tyler Shandro made the announcement Tuesday at a news conference in Edmonton, noting that nurses and front-line workers will not lose their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the cuts will come from further contracting out of laundry and lab services, with possibly housekeeping and food services also being outsourced in the future, he said.
A minimum of 100 management positions will also be eliminated and there will be a review of senior executives before the end of the fiscal year.
The government estimates the move will save up to $600 million a year.
"Given the circumstances that Alberta faces, this approach strikes the right balance between the two unprecedented challenges we face as a province — on one hand the response to the pandemic, and on the other hand the fiscal responsibility we face as Albertans," Shandro said.
He said that every dollar saved will go into patient care to improve the health-care system.
CONTRAC5ING OUT DOES NOT SAVE MONEY
Health Minister Tyler Shandro made the announcement Tuesday at a news conference in Edmonton, noting that nurses and front-line workers will not lose their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the cuts will come from further contracting out of laundry and lab services, with possibly housekeeping and food services also being outsourced in the future, he said.
A minimum of 100 management positions will also be eliminated and there will be a review of senior executives before the end of the fiscal year.
The government estimates the move will save up to $600 million a year.
"Given the circumstances that Alberta faces, this approach strikes the right balance between the two unprecedented challenges we face as a province — on one hand the response to the pandemic, and on the other hand the fiscal responsibility we face as Albertans," Shandro said.
He said that every dollar saved will go into patient care to improve the health-care system.
CONTRAC5ING OUT DOES NOT SAVE MONEY
But Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Premier Jason Kenney is intent on bringing American-style health care to Alberta.
"These plans are cruel. They are irresponsible and they are stupid," Notley said at a news conference. "They will create nothing but chaos throughout health-care institutions across this province."
Notley said people who do housekeeping, prepare food and provide laboratory services are front-line workers in every way, and forcing them out to seek lower paying jobs in the private sector is unconscionable.
"It is a turning point in Alberta history," she said.
"I think that all Albertans are going to be very, very upset because this is the exact opposite from what Jason Kenney committed to Albertans when he asked them for their vote."
An official with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) said Shandro's promise that the layoffs won't affect front-line workers does not seem sincere.
"There is nothing to prevent this government from prematurely declaring the pandemic to be over whenever it pleases, so this is a relatively meaningless promise," said David Harrigan, labour relations director for the UNA.
"Stability in the midst of a pandemic won't be achieved by short staffed hospitals and burnt out health care workers."
Dr. Verna Yiu, president of AHS, said the pandemic is the single-greatest public health challenge the agency has ever faced.
"The pandemic is not over. It is far from over," she said at a news conference Tuesday.
"We must also continue to evolve the health-care system so that it is financially stable now and into the future."
The cost-cutting measures received the endorsement of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
KENNEY USED TO BE THEIR PAID MOUTHPIECE
"These plans are cruel. They are irresponsible and they are stupid," Notley said at a news conference. "They will create nothing but chaos throughout health-care institutions across this province."
Notley said people who do housekeeping, prepare food and provide laboratory services are front-line workers in every way, and forcing them out to seek lower paying jobs in the private sector is unconscionable.
"It is a turning point in Alberta history," she said.
"I think that all Albertans are going to be very, very upset because this is the exact opposite from what Jason Kenney committed to Albertans when he asked them for their vote."
An official with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) said Shandro's promise that the layoffs won't affect front-line workers does not seem sincere.
"There is nothing to prevent this government from prematurely declaring the pandemic to be over whenever it pleases, so this is a relatively meaningless promise," said David Harrigan, labour relations director for the UNA.
"Stability in the midst of a pandemic won't be achieved by short staffed hospitals and burnt out health care workers."
Dr. Verna Yiu, president of AHS, said the pandemic is the single-greatest public health challenge the agency has ever faced.
"The pandemic is not over. It is far from over," she said at a news conference Tuesday.
"We must also continue to evolve the health-care system so that it is financially stable now and into the future."
The cost-cutting measures received the endorsement of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
KENNEY USED TO BE THEIR PAID MOUTHPIECE
"Today's announcement is an excellent step to make Alberta's health-care system more efficient," said Franco Terrazzano, the Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
"Alberta's businesses do a great job of doing laundry and preparing meals, so this is a no-brainer to help relieve some of the mounting costs to taxpayers."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.
The Canadian Press
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