Wildrose Alliance Caucus Questions Government’s Termination of Agreement with Networc Health
Today, Wildrose Alliance leader Danielle Smith, and Wildrose Health Critic, Heather Forsyth, met with Dr. Stephen Miller and Tom Saunders of Networc Health to discuss the Province’s decision to terminate its contractual relationship with Networc Health this fall.
“Networc Health has clearly demonstrated that it is able to provide publicly funded hip and knee replacements faster and more affordably than those conducted in Alberta’s public hospitals,” said Smith. “With a shortage of health infrastructure and professionals in our province, it makes no sense for the Government to put these world class physicians out of business.”
Prior to Alberta Health Services taking over provincial health care, the Calgary Health Region (CHR) contracted with Networc Health to perform approximately 1000 publicly funded hip and knee replacement surgeries each year. The CHR, impressed with the efficiency and quality of those surgeries, committed to increase the number of surgeries performed by Networc Health to 3500 per year. To prepare for this expansion of services and in consultation with the CHR, Networc Health contracted to lease a new state-of-the-art surgery centre that was built at no cost to Alberta taxpayers. When the PC government centralized Alberta health care and Alberta Health Services (AHS) took over in 2008, it delayed providing Networc Health with the increased surgeries, which subsequently caused Networc Health to go into receivership. AHS has now decided to terminate its relationship with Networc Health altogether.
Heather Forsyth, MLA Calgary-Fish Creek and Wildrose Health Critic, challenged the government’s actions and highlighted the effect it will have on Albertans waiting for hip and knee replacements. “By reneging on this contract, the PC government has pulled the rug out from underneath some of our finest surgeons and thousands of Albertans waiting in pain for these procedures,” stated Forsyth. “Albertans want and deserve access to surgeries when they need them. The government made the same mistake with cataract surgeries and the bottom line is that their constant mishandling of health care has devastating impacts on people’s lives.”
Smith also challenged AHS CEO Stephen Duckett to provide long promised figures showing a cost and quality comparison between publicly funded surgeries performed in public hospitals to those performed in private facilities.
“Mr. Duckett promised this report to Albertans back in February,“ Smith said. “Either he is stalling for some reason, or AHS doesn’t have a measure of the costs and quality of Alberta’s health care system. Both scenarios are unacceptable and Albertans deserve better.”
The Wildrose Alliance was formed in January 2008. Wildrose advances competent, principled and conservative policies that will limit government spending growth, increase economic opportunities, empower communities and strengthen individual liberties and freedom.
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For further information or to arrange an interview, media are invited to contact the Wildrose Caucus at:
Jeff Trynchy, Legislative Assistant
Wildrose Alliance Caucus
Ph: (780) 638-3576