By MorinvilleNews.com Staff
Edmonton – After four months of travelling the province consulting with Albertans at workshops hosted by the province’s 12 Health Advisory Councils, Edmonton Rutherford MLA Fred Horne has released a report containing recommendations on developing an Alberta Health Act, suggestions intended to help guide Alberta’s publicly-funded health system in the future.
Horne delivered his report to Alberta’s Minister of Health and Wellness, Gene Zwozdesky, Wednesday, and the province made Horne’s report available to the public Thursday morning. Zwozdesky intends to respond to the report next month.
Horne’s report was put together by an eight-member Advisory Committee and comprises two parts: Putting People First – Recommendations for an Alberta Health Act and Putting People First – A Summary of Views. Part one contains fifteen recommendations to the province to help shape an Alberta Health Act. Part two contains a summary of the input Horne and his committee received from Albertans during the public consultation process.
“This was a tremendous opportunity to listen to what people had to say about the state of health and health care in Alberta,” Horne said in a release Thursday, noting his gratitude to those who took part in the process. “The recommendations in this report, shaped by Albertans, lay out a framework for moving forward on new health legislation and improvements to the health system and most importantly deliver a clear message: Albertans want a health system that puts people first.”
Highlights of Horne’s recommendations include making it a requirement that public notice be given when regulations under the Health Act are proposed, allowing sufficient time for public input into proposed changes. Going hand in hand with the recommendation is another suggesting feedback must be considered by the Minister prior to making proposed regulations.
The recommendations also focus on the establishment of a Health Charter for the province, one that recognizes that “health is a partnership among individuals, families, communities, health professionals, organizations that deliver health care and services, and the Alberta government.”
The complete report is available on the Government of Alberta website.
