Wildrose support for failed private surgical clinic in Calgary a warning to Alberta
EDMONTON – The right-wing Wildrose Alliance’s statement of support today for Networc Health Inc.’s failed surgical clinic in Calgary sends a clear message they will try to privatize health care in Alberta if they are elected to government.
“The Wildrose Alliance is using a bankrupt private surgery provider as their poster child for the privatization of health care in Alberta. It sends the message that the Wildrose Alliance is committed to private health care no matter what the cost to the taxpayer is,” said AUPE Executive Secretary-Treasurer Bill Dechant.
Alberta Health Services is reported to be spending $3 million to prop up Networc Health Inc.’s Health Resource Centre and ensure that patients continue to get hip and knee replacements there until eight new operating rooms are opened at the publicly owned and operated Foothills Hospital this winter.
“The true lesson in this is that the owners of private health care companies can’t provide the stability of service that you get in the public system. In the public system, you don’t lose the capacity to treat 1,000 patients overnight,” said Dechant. “We wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for the government’s experiments with privatized health services and contracting out.”
In a news release Wildrose leader Danielle Smith claimed, without proof, that Networc Health “is able to provide publicly funded hip and knee replacements faster and more affordably than those conducted in Alberta’s public hospitals.” She blamed the private health care company’s insolvency on Alberta Health Services.
Networc Health Inc. undertook a $65 million expansion in the hope that Alberta Health Services would increase the number of surgeries it contracted from their private clinic. When AHS didn’t send Networc as many surgeries as Networc had hoped for, the company was unable to meet other financial commitments and was put into receivership.
“Networc Health made some bad business decisions and got into financial trouble. If they sold hubcaps it wouldn’t be a big deal. But they sell surgeries, and you just can’t allow that kind of private-sector risk in your healthcare system,” said Dechant.
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For more information:
Bill Dechant, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, AUPE – 780-930-3302
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE – 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)