Sorry, but they just can’t remember if anything illegal was going on in Alberta Health Services.
That was the refrain cited in the Health Services Preferential Access Inquiry released on Aug. 21, in the aftermath of debacles such as the Calgary Flames players and families being allowed to jump the queue two years ago during the H1N1 swine flu epidemic, and of course the incendiary accusations of Dr. Raj Sherman. Sherman claimed physicians with concerns about the way Alberta’s health care system was being run were gagged and muzzled, with veiled threats to keep their mouths shut.
The inquiry was relatively toothless to begin with; it didn’t bother trying to find fault, just establish whether or not there are serious problems in the system. Luckily the inquiry wasn’t very serious, because nothing serious will ever come of it.
The most telling part? Plenty of people, including Premier Alison Redford’s own sister, Lynn Redford, still a big wheel at AHS, denied any problems when they were called to answer questions in front of the inquiry, despite the fact previous AHS head Stephen Duckett sent out the infamous “no queue jumping” memo. Lynn Redford stated she felt Duckett was just being pro-active. When asked if she remembered any cases of “VIP’s” such as NHL players being given preferential access, Lynn Redford answered, “No I don’t.”
Lynn Redford wasn’t the only one who didn’t have much to say to the inquiry. On page 50 of the report Judge John Z. Vertes, stated, “many witnesses… exhibited a regrettable failure to recollect events and activities that should not have slipped so easily from memory.”
Yes, it is a shame that highly placed and highly paid executives who are responsible for not only millions of dollars but also for decisions that affect the health of generations, are taken to task by a judge for bad memories. This is the same group of executives who were billing AHS for opera tickets and Mercedes-Benz repairs recently.
On the surface, it would seem the inquiry was a colossal waste of time and money. However, digging deeper, those concerned about openness, accountability and decent mnemonic ability certainly want to ask: are these people ideal to be handling health services money and, more importantly, the future of health care in the province?
If a judge with no authority calls them out on their mental faculties in public, perhaps everyone in government, including Lynn Redford’s sister, should take a long, hard look at some of the so-called leaders of Alberta Health Services.
