Lethbridge-West MLA and Finance Critic Shannon Phillips spoke out in opposition to the United Conservative Party's plan to revamp the healthcare system on Friday, November 10, 2023. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Shannon Phillips, David Shepherd speak out against UCP health care plan

Nov 10, 2023 | 3:02 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge-West MLA and Finance Critic Shannon Phillips spoke out in opposition to the United Conservative Party’s (UCP) plan to revamp the healthcare system on Friday, November 10, 2023.

At her office in downtown Lethbridge, Phillips was joined by Alberta NDP Critic for Health, Primary and Rural Care David Shepherd.

On Wednesday, the UCP government announced that the current version of Alberta Health Service (AHS) would transition to a single provincial health system model split into four units of provincial bodies: primary care, acute care, continuing care, and mental health agencies.

READ MORE: Alberta revamps health care system, creates separate units

Phillips responded, “We have fewer doctors here in Lethbridge today than we did three years ago. I know of many people who rely on regular prescriptions who have to keep trying their luck at a walk-in clinic or app. This is not normal for a city of 100,000 with a hospital, university, and college.”

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Phillips added, “I really worry that this latest radical upheaval will drive more folks to look at early retirement, another province, or not coming here entirely.”

Shepherd also spoke about the staffing situation in southern Alberta, with the emergency departments in Fort Macleod, Pincher Creek and Milk River all having experienced closures this year due to a lack of physician coverage.

Shepherd said, “The first thing we need in the system is stability, and what we’ve seen over the last four-and-a-half years is utter chaos. We need investment [and] more training in rural areas. When we train medical professionals in rural settings, they are more likely to stay and work in rural settings.”

Shepard, despite classifying the healthcare system under the UCP as chaotic, gave the government credit for the program being developed at the University of Lethbridge to train healthcare professionals.

READ MORE: University of Lethbridge to explore creation of doctor training centre

The repurposed AHS will focus on acute care delivery and move under the acute care agency.

The minister of health will oversee three of the new units, while the minister of mental health and addiction will be responsible for the mental health body.

Phillips also said that the UCP has made “false promises” regarding cardiac care since the election.

She said, “We haven’t heard a peep from this government since they got elected. They made kind of a fake promise to kind of study the matter, and we haven’t even heard an update on that.”

The government started holding town halls with AHS on Thursday, November 9, and engagement efforts with Albertans will kick off in early December. Province-wide workforce engagement will begin in mid-January.

It will take at least one year to implement the new system and the four new agencies will not launch until 2024.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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