| The future management of regional health authorities in Alberta is still mired in confusion, says an elected health care official after learning that her job will no longer exist as of April 1.
The provincial government has confirmed it will scrap regional health authority elections as part of a realignment of health care delivery in the province. The first health authority elections were held less than two years ago, when two-thirds of board members were elected, and the remaining one-third were appointed by the government. Now the province is amalgamating 17 health regions into nine, and all board members will be appointed.
"This is a step backwards," says Susan Desbarats, an elected board member of the Calgary Health Region and a strong supporter of Klein’s health care reform. "Public confidence needs to be very high if you’re going through major health care reform – and elected people, I happen to feel, provided that accountability."
Desbarats was appointed to the Calgary Health Region for a term in the late ‘90s before the boards were democratized and she was elected. She says partially elected boards were stronger and more accountable than appointed ones.
Some critics have accused the government of scrapping the elections to buffer itself from criticism from elected board members, and even Klein supporters like Desbarats say the move seems anti-democratic and poorly planned.
"For a government that is usually decisive, this is very disjointed," she says. "I think, like anyone who signed on to do a job for three years and found out a year-and-a-half later that things had changed without any consultation or input, there is frustration."
The provincial government says appointing board members will make little difference to the delivery of health care, and steps will be taken to ensure accountability.
"We’re going to be entering a multi-year performance contract and (health authorities) have to include a process for community participation," says Alberta Health and Wellness spokesperson Howard May.
He adds that the transition from partially elected to fully appointed boards is proceeding smoothly – board chairs have already been chosen and new boards will be made up of a selection of former elected and appointed members – but how many members will make up the new boards has not been decided.
"It’s not carved in stone… but not a heck of a lot has changed," May says.
Desbarats says she will still push the government to include elected representatives in the health care system.
"I think people need to ask themselves if this is important," she says. "To me, it’s up to citizens to make their voices heard." |
