EDMONTON – The province must adequately fund health services to stop the constant losses of services and jobs throughout rural Alberta, says the president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

"A week seldom passes that we don’t hear from members about layoffs or service cuts in smaller health centres and hospitals," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"In the past week alone," MacLennan said, "AUPE has seen newspaper clippings or spoken directly to workers about plans for substantial budget cuts or staff reductions, or both, in the Athabasca, Banff, Fort MacLeod, Peace River and Trochu areas.

In addition to the health authorities, MacLennan noted, the decision to phase out the Alberta Mental Health Board and hand its duties over to the health regions is bound to have a negative impact on the delivery of mental health services and all regional services.

MacLennan also noted that staff in the East Central Health Region have been advised that they must cut their use of the Rosehaven Care Centre in Camrose – jointly run by Bethany Camrose, the Mental Health Board and the health regions – because it must now serve all of the province’s health regions.

"What we’re seeing appears to be a pattern of reducing health services throughout the province," MacLennan said.

MacLennan called on the 16 health regions to play their proper role by pushing the provincial government to provide adequate funding to maintain essential health care services.

"Whether there are eventually six or 16 health regions, one of their primary roles has to be to lobby the government for increased funding for services and service providers," he said.

"Using inadequate funding as an excuse to lay off front-line health care workers or to put downward pressure on their pay while other members of the health care team are given raises is neither appropriate nor fair," MacLennan said.

"With a $772-million surplus, Alberta can afford a properly run health care system that serves all citizens regardless of where they live," he concluded.

"It’s time we faced up to properly funding our health care system."

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)

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