AHS review implementation plan released

On October 13, 2020 AHS released a statement regarding the AHS review implementation, indicating that the Government of Alberta has directed Alberta Health Services (AHS) to proceed carefully in implementing a portion of their plan. The news release also stated that there will be no job losses for nurses or for other front-line clinical staff. Any reduction in full-time equivalent positions will be in keeping with proactive disclosures announced in the fall of 2019. A minimum of 100 management positions will be eliminated and a full review of senior AHS executives will be completed before the end of the fiscal year. Alberta’s government has directed that only a portion of the actions identified in the implementation plan proceed, changes that are expected to yield up to $600 million in annual savings.

READ FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

CBC News also released an article regarding the review implementation titled Alberta's looming health care upheaval: Alberta Health Services to cut 11,000 jobs but no layoffs for nurses, other front-line staff. In this article Minister Shandro indicated to the Edmonton Journal that most of the jobs will come from outsourcing general support services like lab services, housekeeping and in-hospital food services. It is expected to save $600 million annually.

The July 29 draft plan obtained by CBC News was calculated to reduce costs by between $837 million and nearly $1.2 billion annually. The health authority's budget is $15.4 billion. It described an aggressive agenda that would profoundly impact health-care employees and patients. It contained 100 initiatives that would most notably affect:

• Labour: AHS would outsource thousands of general service jobs, axe many nursing and clinical support positions, and remove collective agreement provisions — through legislative change, if necessary — to reduce compensation for nurses. It would also eliminate doctors' clinical stipends and claw back overhead costs.

• Seniors and others receiving continuing or community care: The health authority would increase accommodation fees for continuing care, introduce a co-pay for home care, and shift more patients from subsidized long-term care to designated supportive living.

• Rural communities: AHS would reconfigure and potentially consolidate hospital services, including emergency departments, and shutter underused diagnostic imaging and laboratory sites.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE