Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The swine flu pandemic raises very real concerns for our strained health care system’s capacity to cope. 

As a former health officer I know the need for clear lines of authority; accurate, timely communications; and a well-supported health workforce. Last June the province’s four senior public health officers resigned en masse in large part because they felt that this government was not taking public health seriously.

To the Premier: what capacity does this province have to deal with the flu pandemic?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, there have been no confirmed cases of the influenza, but our health officials have been working very closely with the federal health department. We also increased surveillance for acute respiratory illnesses and are monitoring very closely. Once again, this weekend the minister’s staff was working very closely with the federal government.

Dr. Swann: In crowded emergency waiting rooms and clinics a flu virus spreads very quickly, very easily. What is being planned to prevent this?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, I think that the Leader of the Opposition, with his background and training, will agree that it’s incumbent on all of us as members of this Assembly not to cause undue concern.

The situation is such that our chief medical officer of health has put Alberta Health Services on high alert to ensure that anything that has indications of symptoms is brought to the attention immediately. As the Premier has indicated, there are no cases in Alberta at this stage although there are some elsewhere in the country. We continue to work with the federal government on this situation.

Dr. Swann: Well, every day we have people crammed into hospital rooms, gurneys in hallways, waiting in emergency departments. How will the system cope with increased demands of a pandemic?

Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, first of all, we want to ensure that – and this is in the statement from the chief medical officer of health yesterday – the first contact if someone has concerns is with the Health Link to ensure that the right advice is given. Ideally we want to ensure that we’re treating these situations seriously but not necessarily in the public institutions, so we’ve done a couple of things. As of tomorrow the provincial lab here in Edmonton will be doing testing. It’ll be a 24-hour turnaround, so we’ll have results much quicker than we are today by having to send it out of province.

The Speaker: Second Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition.

Physician Supply

Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Alberta Health Services has quietly implemented an astonishing and unprecedented provincewide freeze on new physician hiring. We will not even be replacing retiring physicians. Instead of fulfilling his election promise, the Premier has supported that decision and is doing the opposite of what was promised. To the Premier: did the Premier approve this recent decision to freeze physician hiring?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to our overall goal of increasing the number of trained physicians here in the province of Alberta. We’ve increased the number of seats in our training universities. Those physicians, of course, will take time to be trained and implemented into the workforce. But we know that we have some catch-up to do in terms of not only physicians but nurses as well and other health care professionals because we’ve seen an increase in our population and also an increase in need for the kind of services we provide.

Dr. Swann: Well, clearly the Premier doesn’t get it, that the primary health care system is in serious jeopardy, and therefore the people of Alberta are in serious jeopardy. Which other vital health professionals are on the chopping block, Mr. Premier? Nurses, lab technicians? Where are we going from here?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, with this issue about reductions the health budget in this province has seen the largest increase compared to other departments. Some departments got zero. Some got a modest increase of 2 per cent. Health got an increase of 4.7 per cent to ensure that we keep the momentum, keeping as many people as possible employed in delivering health services in the province. Was it a cut? No. It was an increase in the budget. So I don’t know where they’re coming from. They are saying that there are cuts and cuts. There’s more money going into health at a very, very difficult time and economic situation.

Dr. Swann: Again to the Premier: how much money are you planning to save with these freezes on physicians?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, it’s actually an increase in the budget of 4.7 per cent. You know, years before the percentage of increase was 10 to 14 per cent. We know – Albertans have told us – that if we keep increasing one budget at that rate while the projected increase in economic growth is dropping, then we will not be able to sustain this very good system we enjoy for the next generation. That is important. Always look to how you can help the next generation and sustain this very good program that we enjoy.

Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our emergency room staff are overworked, stressed, and some are reluctantly considering leaving the province’s health care system because of the extraordinary pressures today. To the minister: what does the minister have to say to the 200,000 desperate Calgarians who even now cannot get a family doctor?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in this particular Assembly that solving our family doctor issue is not just simply a matter of finding more doctors. We need to ensure that we have a delivery model in place that uses all of our professions to the utmost of their abilities, and we are in the middle of ensuring that that is taking place. We will continue our recruitment of doctors. There is recruitment that takes place by some doctors in this province from outside. It’s a number of situations.

Dr. Swann: That sounds like a contradiction to me, Mr. Speaker: continuing recruitment when there’s a freeze on new hiring. Maybe the minister could explain that.

Thousands of cancer patients waiting for treatment will now face even longer wait times because this government refuses to hire new doctors. What is your response to Albertans, Mr. Minister?

Mr. Liepert: Well, I’m not sure where this particular member is getting his information relative to a hiring freeze, Mr. Speaker. There was a situation with a recruitment process through the former Capital health region of recruiting foreign physicians. There were a dozen or so who had offers of employment extended, and those are being honoured. There were a number of other discussions where no particular offer had been extended, no even verbal commitment had been made. In light of the current economic situation that Alberta Health Services finds itself in, it is reviewing this situation.

Dr. Swann: Well, how can a minister of this government justify spending $35 million on horse racing, $25 million on a greenwashing campaign, and we can’t afford to hire new physicians in this province?

Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, I just explained in my answer that we are in fact hiring new physicians. Every particular program that Alberta Health Services has inherited from the various health regions is being assessed to ensure that we’re getting value for dollars. This particular opposition is continually giving us good advice on how to save money. This is exactly what Alberta Health Services is doing, ensuring that their expenditures are justified before they simply write a blank cheque.

Alberta Hansard, April 27, 2009

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