EDMONTON, AB: The NDP government should stop wasting money on a health advocate’s office if it is not going to get results for Albertans suffering under a broken health care system, Wildrose Shadow Health Minister Drew Barnes said.
A new report from Postmedia outlines how the health advocate position is costing $2 million, but is limited in its ability to only act as a facilitator for Albertans to navigate a complicated bureaucracy throughout the health care system.
Barnes said if the office isn’t able or empowered to make meaningful changes for Albertans, than it shouldn’t be in place.
“If this office is not able to get results for Albertans, then the money should be going towards patients or shrinking the deficit,” Barnes said. “It’s been two years since the last government announced it, but the NDP have let it sit idle with a complete lack of oversight.”
Before the health advocate’s office was passed into law, the NDP in opposition put forward several amendments towards the legislation.
“The NDP government promised change for health care in Alberta, but it’s looking more of the same wasteful and inefficient management as the previous government,” Barnes said.