Smith wants AHS middle management on front lines as she plans to restructure

Premier Danielle Smith believes part of restructuring Alberta Health Services should include pushing "middle managers" to the health care system’s frontlines.

"When you have senior people, you do have to pay senior people at a level that allows them to take on that responsibility," said Smith.

"But I'm more interested in that middle-management layer and getting more of those individuals pushed down to the front line."

Smith says AHS will see a major overhaul by the end of the year.

During the United Conservative Party's annual general meeting this past weekend, a motion to fire 700 AHS senior managers and administrators earning more than $140,000 per year was defeated.

Calgary registered nurse Jennifer Denesuk agrees changes are needed within AHS to get the health care system back on track.

"It was pretty much in shambles before the pandemic and when the pandemic hit, I think people on the outside got to see what (a) shambles it really is," said Denesuk.

"The system is broken down and it (didn’t) just start in one spot and work, you have to start at the top and the bottom."

Denesuk says some units were not staffed correctly prior to the pandemic.

"I might have been the only RN and instead of finding other RNs to come in and work, they brought in seven health care aides," she said.

"That's not going to help you on a unit."

SMITH WILL SCRAP AHS AGREEMENT WITH WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

In July 2020, AHS caught the eye of the World Economic Forum, asking it to be part of its Global Coalition for Value in Healthcare.

AHS says the goal was to play a role in shaping the future of health care on the international stage.

However, Smith said on a livestream broadcast last week that the agreement, which includes information sharing, will be ripped up.

Klaus Schwab, WEF executive chairman, has consistently been linked to conspiracy theories of a globalist elite world agenda, where he will take over world governments and eradicate capitalism.

"I don't think he's a medical doctor, I don't think he's a nurse and I don't think he's a paramedic," said Smith on Monday.

"As I've said, I am going to be taking advice from our frontline nurses, doctors, paramedics and health professionals to fix the local problems."

Smith said she finds it "distasteful when billionaires brag about how much control they have over political leaders as the head of that organization has."

"I think that that is offensive," continued Smith. "The people who should be directing government are the people who vote for them. And the people who vote for me and for my colleagues are people who live in Alberta, and who are affected by our decisions. And so, quite frankly, until that organization stops bragging about how much control they have over political leaders, I have no interest in being involved with them.

"My focus is here in Alberta solving problems for Albertans with the mandate from Albertans."

HEALTH CARE UNIONS CALL FOR MEETING WITH PREMIER, HEALTH MINISTER

Members from Alberta’s health care worker unions held a media conference insisting on meeting with Health Minister Jason Copping, and the premier as she gets set to restructure the system.

Mike Parker, Health Sciences Association of Alberta president says there are challenges within the health care system, but they need to be addressed and not blown up.

"This system does work, but it's being starved out," said Parker. "Our hospitals are closed down in rural communities, there is no access to physicians or allied health service, so people are now coming hundreds of kilometres to have their own children."

The United Nurses of Alberta believe problems have been manufactured within the system, but due to neglect and lack of funding for resources that have caused staffing shortages.

"We have a premier who is announcing that her first set of actions is to further destabilize worksites that are already under incredible stress," said UNA president Heather Smith.

Copping was not made available following the swearing in of cabinet ministers on Monday.