No immediate cash for the Calgary Health Region says Premier Ed Stelmach

May 07, 2008

CALGARY — The urgent need for cash outlined by the Calgary Health Region is also being experienced in other Alberta cities, says Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.

Stelmach was in Calgary on Tuesday and received a tour of the new Alberta Children's Hospital from chairman Jack Davis.

"It was in September of 2000 that then minister of Infrastructure Ed Stelmach phoned the Calgary Health Region and said the funds for the new children's hospital would be made available," said Davis.

"So we were very pleased today to be able to tour the premier and his wife around the children's hospital to see what that commitment's resulted in."

Davis has been looking for about $190 million from the province to deal with the dire problems he outlined during the last election campaign.

Calgary's three main hospitals had been struggling with seriously overcrowded emergency rooms, forcing patients to queue in hallways on stretchers.

Stelmach told reporters that he isn't making any commitments until after Health Minister Ron Liepert finishes his review of the health-care system. He said it's not just Calgary that is feeling the pinch.

"There are unique issues in every regional health authority in the province of Alberta," conceded Stelmach.

"If you go to Fort McMurray, you will hear Fort McMurray say you are extracting our resources and you're not returning enough here," he said. "If you go to Grande Prairie, it's the same issues. Every region has the same issue that we have in Calgary."

Both Liepert and Stelmach have stressed that there must be changes to get a handle on spiralling costs that have hit $13 billion. That means the province is spending a third of its budget on health care, but there are still long wait times and shortages of doctors and nurses.

"We have to find a way to make is sustainable and everybody tells us that if you are going to be increasing your budgets year by year and eventually you double it," he said. "If you double it, which department do you take out?"

Stelmach has said such a financial burden will eventually hinder the government from moving on other priority areas such as education. He said there is a reason the Capital Health Regional in Edmonton receives $110 million a year more than Calgary.

"The formula is quite complex. It looks at the socio-economic structure of the region," he explained. "There are differences in aboriginal community service and seniors. There are a whole bunch of different factors into the formula."

Canadian Press

McGuinty government halts bidding process for home care contracts across the province

Minister acts out of concern for loss of continuity of patient care

   TORONTO, Jan. 28 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is halting the
competitive bidding process for home care contracts across the province in
order to ensure that Ontarians receiving home services continue to receive the
highest quality of care.
   "I work for patients and I am not going to put their relationships with
health care workers at risk," said George Smitherman, Ontario's Minister of
Health and Long Term Care.
   A January 28 memo from the ministry to board chairs and executive
directors of Ontario's Community Care Access Centres asks all centres to
cancel bidding processes now underway for nursing, personal support,
homemaking and therapy services and to not restart such processes.
   "To ensure there is no uncertainty, existing contracts will be extended,"
said Smitherman. "All processes for other contracts are being halted. In the
meantime, we have a fair bit of policy work to do. And my focus is on
maintaining the quality of services currently being provided."
   Last week, Smitherman stopped the awarding of the home care services
contract in Hamilton and surrounding areas, which was the only community where
the awarding of a contract was imminent.
   The January 28 memo further tells CCACs that the government is reviewing
the bidding process and related policies and procedures to "ensure they
support the principles of putting the client first, continuity of care and
stability for health care workers to ensure Ontarians receive the highest
quality home care services possible." It also states that further details will
be provided in the near future.