Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers
March 22, 2010
Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government talks about openness and transparency, but when health care professionals bring forward their concerns or problems, they are referred to the Alberta Health Services code of conduct, which is commonly known as the code. The code is at the heart of AHS bylaws, procedures, standards, guidelines, regulations, policies, and directives on how employers are to conduct themselves. My question is to the minister of health. What exactly can health care professionals talk about with regard to improving our health care system?
Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the new and improved code of conduct that was brought in in December, pretty much anything and everything that deals with health care from a patient’s point of view and from a medical needs point of view. Policy matters: they might want to ask me about, or they might want to ask somebody in Alberta Health Services.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you. Given that AHS provides health service delivery in response to direction received from the minister, will the minister of health send a memo to all health care professionals indicating that they can speak out with their concerns to their MLA, media, and Albertans without fear of being reprimanded?
Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said, there is a new code of conduct that the nurses have agreed to. They’re fine with it. I’ve talked with the doctors as well. They are fine with this. They can feel free to talk about any medical issues they want and with whomever they want whenever they want.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mrs. Forsyth: All right. Then I’ll look forward to that memo going to the health care professionals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since part of the AHS code tells employees to be open, honest, and transparent, if a health employee believes a policy is harmful to patients, who are they accountable to: Alberta Health Services or the patients in their care?
Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, the health professionals in this firstclass system do an awesome job day in, day out under very trying circumstances. They should be saluted. If they have an issue with regard to policy, there’s a protocol to be followed just like there is with any employer, and that’s very clearly laid out in some of the organizational frameworks. They can talk to Alberta Health Services, or they can certainly write to me if they wish.
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