Seniors and Social Providers Minister Jason Nixon mentioned particulars concerning the new company, similar to what it is going to be known as and when it is going to be operational, are nonetheless being finalized
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The Alberta authorities says long-term care and supportive dwelling applications will not be underneath the purview of the provincial Well being Ministry.
As a substitute, Seniors and Social Providers Minister Jason Nixon can be accountable for persevering with care applications throughout Alberta.
The change comes as a part of the provincial authorities’s health-care system overhaul that’s seeing Alberta Well being Providers damaged up into 4 new companies, together with one accountable for persevering with care.
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In an interview Wednesday, Nixon mentioned particulars concerning the new company, similar to what it is going to be known as and when it is going to be operational, are nonetheless being finalized.
Within the meantime, he mentioned there can be no rapid adjustments to providers on account of the ministry swap.
Nixon mentioned the change will enable his ministry to make use of its expertise facilitating social providers to enhance affected person outcomes in terms of entry to long-term care, similar to assisted dwelling amenities for seniors.
“Our predominant goal of this course of is to have the ability to be sure that we’re bringing to bear the complete energy and providers of the social providers sector and different elements of our system in terms of caring for those that discover themselves needing to enter persevering with care (or) long-term care,” he mentioned.
“The overwhelming majority of social providers which can be offered to people which can be going into care are exterior of the hospital.”
Nixon mentioned that whereas the small print of how the brand new company will function are nonetheless being decided, he imagines the company can be intertwined with Alberta Well being Providers in terms of supporting soon-to-be discharged hospital sufferers.
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“We’d step in because the group care supplier to then work to have the ability to discover these people essentially the most acceptable place to have the ability to set up themselves for long-term care contained in the group.”
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When requested why the federal government determined towards folding social providers into the Well being Ministry if the objective is to higher co-ordinate persevering with care choices for sufferers, Nixon mentioned it could make the Well being Ministry too massive to handle.
“To fold these two collectively would find yourself being virtually three-quarters of the federal government,” he mentioned. “It’s not manageable.”
“What that is doing is taking this all the way down to the place we are able to concentrate on letting the social providers system do their job.”
Opposition NDP, Mates of Medicare crucial
In a press release, the Opposition NDP’s seniors critic Lori Sigurdson mentioned switching the ministry accountable for persevering with care can have no impact on the providers out there to those that want it.
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“These new administrative adjustments don’t construct a single new persevering with care mattress or provide extra service for our family members who’re caught with out choices between hospital and residential,” she mentioned.
Chris Gallaway, govt director of Mates of Medicare, was additionally crucial of the federal government’s determination.
“Albertans don’t fall into one class after they want care — they’re one particular person and wish seamless entry to all pillars of well being care,” he mentioned in a press release.
“What the system wants is satisfactory funding, minimal care and staffing requirements, and a workforce plan.”
On Tuesday, Well being Minister Adriana LaGrange introduced that Main Care Alberta is the brand new group accountable for overseeing fundamental types of care similar to household docs and nurse practitioners.
One other new company known as Restoration Alberta took over the psychological well being and addictions portfolio from Alberta Well being Providers earlier this yr.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Oct. 16, 2024.
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