A number of health care workers are expected to speak at a public rally at the legislature today, calling for the immediate launch of a public inquiry to investigate allegations of mismanagement of Alberta’s health care system.
“We need to know why our public health system has not kept pace with the needs of our population,” said David Eggen, executive director of Friends of Medicare, in a statement.
“We need to know if health care staff were deterred from speaking out on this or any other issue that might compromise the health of patients,” he said.
Earlier this month, Independent MLA Raj Sherman raised allegations in the legislature that hundreds of patients died while waiting for emergency department or cancer care.
Sherman also alleged that doctors who spoke out were intimidated by health care officials and that millions of dollars were paid to silence those who went public.
After the allegations were raised, Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky ordered the Health Quality Council of Alberta to investigate allegations that people died while waiting for cancer surgery and while waiting in emergency departments.
The council will also investigate whether or not physicians who advocated for their patients were silenced.
“It’s all well and good what they are proposing but I think it’s necessary at this juncture to have a public inquiry on health care issues with two focuses in mind that are related to each other,” Eggen told the Gazette Friday.
A public inquiry, he said, should look at the shortage of capacity in Alberta’s health care system and barriers that might prevent workers from advocating for their patients.
“It goes past this doctor issue and for all health care workers. This has been an ongoing problem,” Eggen said.
“It’s the shortage of capacity in the health system that has made it necessary for health care workers to try to speak out on this issue. It compromises the care that their patients get.”
Unlike the Health Quality Council’s review, a public inquiry can subpoena individuals to testify and grant immunity to witnesses, release its own transparent report without interference from the government and order searches and seizures, said Eggen.
“A public inquiry has the tools to do the job right, without interference from the ministry or anyone else,” he said.
“This government doesn’t have the moral authority or the credibility to fix the health care mess that they themselves created. An independent inquiry is required so that we can clear the air and move on.”
The rally takes place on today at 1 p.m. on the steps of the legislature building in Edmonton.
