Albertans can no longer depend on public health-care services to be there when we need them. Emergency rooms are overrun, ambulance wait times are putting lives at risk, and delays in treatment are causing complications that strain the system even further. Staff shortages and burnout among the health care workers who remain are exacerbating the crisis. 

There is a better way. Together, we can build a road to a stronger, more resilient, and more equitable health-care system for all Albertans. 

Here’s how: 

1. Keep health care publicly-funded and strengthen public delivery 
2. Address staffing challenges in the health-care workforce
3. Invest in rural and small community health services
4. Resolve systemic flaws in seniors’ care
5. Ensure equitable access to health care for all Albertans

 

Health-care workers continue to face unprecedented pressure after more than two years of pandemic response. The combination of spikes in demand (a result of public health measures that failed to contain the virus), changing workforce demographics, political hostility, bad faith bargaining, lack of investment, an emphasis on “efficiency” over preparedness, and poor working conditions has fomented into a perfect storm.

Instead of turning to costly short-term measures like outsourcing, Alberta needs to pursue a provincial health workforce strategy and collaborate on a national plan to improve working conditions, recruitment, and retention of health-care workers. This must include system-wide supports for health-care workers who are experiencing and/or are at risk of burnout and trauma.

Rather than continuing along a path of political hostility, undercutting, and privatization of our health-care system, we can choose to examine the evidence and learn from examples from around the world.