Job cuts to 'streamline' Alberta health care

In a status report on ongoing changes to Alberta's health-care system, the province's health minister said some senior administrators will be losing their jobs next month.

Health Minister Ron Liepert said the job eliminations will happen when the new Alberta Health Services Board rolls out its administrative structure in July.

"There are likely people who are working in the system at the senior administration level today who won't be in the system in the future," Liepert said in Calgary Friday.

"However, I don't want to leave any impression that somehow there are going to be cuts to the system. This is strictly streamlining the administration."

Liberal health critic Dave Taylor was not impressed by Liepert's remarks.

"I don't know how much you accomplish by dropping a bombshell like that and then making everybody who is going to be affected by it wait two to three weeks for the other shoe to drop."

The MLA for Calgary-Currie also said he'll be watching to see if the administration system really is more efficient when the dust settles.

"Because you can shuffle all the deck chairs around on the Titanic and not make much of a difference at all," he said.

But the health minister said he believes his plan for improving health care in the province is on track.

Since April, the Alberta government has announced plans to:

• Merge all nine regional health authorities into one body, the Alberta Health Services Board.
• Take over all ambulance services in the province.
• End health-care premiums on Jan. 1.

Liepert says the changes are part of making the health-care system more efficient and helping patients get faster access to services.