With Premier Danielle Smith indicating she may soon be making significant changes to the province’s health-care system, including possible major alterations to the governance model, residents in this region and across Alberta are watching with great interest to see how things turn out.
Whether Smith will be able to make the changes she wants before the spring 2023 election remains to be seen. What is known is that any changes that are made will probably have real-life impacts on Albertans of all ages.
With all the uncertainty created by the current situation, Alberta Health Services (AHS) has renewed calls for residents to respect the doctors, nurses and other workers who are at the heart of the health-care system.
“AHS aims to always treat patients and their families with respect, kindness and dignity, and we ask the same consideration for staff and physicians,” AHS said in a public service announcement issued last week.
“By doing so, we ensure that the delivery of health care services is not impeded, and that health-care facilities are safe and secure for everyone: patients and their families, as well as health care workers.”
The calls for everyone coming into contact with the health-care system to show respect and decency come as incidents of patient-to-worker harassment and violence continue to be seen in far too many health facilities.
“People often visit our facilities when stressed and emotional, and AHS hospitals and facilities can be busy. But harassment and disrespect are never acceptable. The health and safety of our workforce is essential to providing quality health care,” AHS officials said.
Premier Smith may soon move forward with significant and far-reaching changes to Alberta’s health-care system. What those changes will look like and how they will impact the day-to-day lives of residents remains anyone’s guess.
Yet regardless of the coming changes, residents should and must always keep in mind that civility and respect for doctors, nurses and other health-care workers is a must.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
