Alberta NDP leader slams premier’s plan to possibly transfer control of some hospitals

Alberta’s Opposition leader says Premier Danielle Smith needs to provide clarification on her proposal to potentially transfer control of underperforming hospitals to third parties.

NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi asserts that Smith should also justify why she chose to unveil the new policy discreetly two weeks ago at a members-only United Conservative Party event without subsequent communication to the general public.

In an interview on Tuesday, Nenshi expressed concern that the lack of transparency suggests the government may be uncertain about the plan’s popularity or that they are developing it on the fly.

“This is not a responsible way to manage a system with over 100,000 employees, to implement changes on a whim without a solid plan and to simply say whatever comes to mind to please a specific audience,” Nenshi stated.

“It’s quite concerning.”

The proposed change in policy is part of a larger plan introduced last year by Smith to dismantle Alberta Health Services (AHS), the agency responsible for frontline healthcare delivery.

Smith has been critical of AHS, accusing it of failing to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon taking office in 2022, she dismissed its governing board.

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The province is restructuring AHS with four agencies assigned to oversee specific healthcare areas, while AHS focuses solely on acute care in hospitals.

However, on August 17, Smith disclosed at a United Conservative Party town hall in Drayton Valley, Alta., that the new AHS mandate might be further reduced.

Smith informed the audience that her government intends to transfer the operation of underperforming hospitals to third parties.

“We’re ready to revoke their authority to manage hospitals as well,” Smith stated in video recordings of the meeting shared online.

“We want Alberta Health Services to concentrate on providing the best care in the 106 facilities they manage for us – they have been diverted by trying to oversee everything else, so we’re eliminating all of their excuses.

“If our operator fails to deliver the required services, we will reclaim control.

“The next step is to determine how many of the hospitals currently operated by AHS we can take back ownership of. We cannot do this for all of them,” Smith stated.

Smith mentioned that the government is already offering private charter surgical facilities and the services of faith-based public provider Covenant Health to introduce competition and instill “fear” among providers.

“When dealing with a monopoly, and they believe they can provide any type of care without consequences, they will continue to deliver subpar service,” she explained.

Smith’s office declined to comment to The Canadian Press on Tuesday and referred inquiries to Health Minister Adriana LaGrange’s office.

LaGrange’s office chose not to respond to emailed queries regarding how hospital underperformance will be assessed and how transferring authority could address staffing shortages.

In a statement, Andrea Smith, LaGrange’s press secretary, emphasized the government’s desire to see “improved outcomes” from AHS, particularly in rural and remote areas where there have been numerous emergency department closures.

“The effort to realign Alberta’s healthcare system includes gradually shifting AHS’s focus to delivering acute care services exclusively,” she stated, noting that both AHS and Covenant Health will retain important roles.

“Ensuring that the right partner delivers these services is crucial, and we will continue to assess this on an ongoing basis.”