 Alberta Health Services Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing and Health Professions Officer Deb Gordon spoke the UNA AGM delegates on October 26, 2011.
President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chris Eagle has "fundamentally changed the agenda" at Alberta Health Services, the province-wide health agency's Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing and Health Professions Officer Deb Gordon told UNA's AGM this morning.
Under its previous president and CEO, she explained, the emphasis at AHS was on finding savings - often in such areas as systems, accounting and non-medical services.
"We want to refocus Alberta Health Services on clinical priorities," Gordon said. "The focus is on the people we're here to look after."
However, in addition to her greetings and brief remarks about AHS priorities, Gordon got an earful from UNA members about a wide range of problems in the health care system from inadequate to nonexistent security to the inability for full-time nurses to get vacation to unappetizing frozen food for patients to frightening nurse-patient rations.
One member complained that nurses at her worksite cleaning stretches and sweeping floors because penny wise-pound foolish policies prevent support staff doing the work. Another told of nurse patient ratios of 60 to one or worse in privately operated long-term care.
Gordon vowed try to find ways to fix the problems raised, although she cautioned that "I can't promise to address every point you've raised in your questions."
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