Laurie in Debate
Bill 50: Health Professions Statutes Amendment Act, 2007 (No. 2)
Bill 50: Health Professions Statutes Amendment Act, 2007 debate in the 26th Legislature of Alberta, 3rd Session by Ms. Laurie Blakeman, MLA Edmonton-Centre
Alberta Hansard – November 27, 2007
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. At this time I am certainly willing to support Bill 50 in principle. As the member opposite outlined, this is really an enabling bill. It’s essentially expanding the liability protection to members of a number of other health professions and colleges who complete competency assessments of health professionals trained outside of Alberta.
Given the struggle that we’re having not only with physicians and nurses but with other health professionals in recruiting them into Alberta and being able to retain them, I think it’s important that we look at innovative ways to complete this work. Part of the struggle that we have experienced is that even when we’re trying to train people, we don’t have enough trainers, and certainly in the medical profession the trainers are themselves physicians or hold MDs. I think this is a good step to be taking. I believe that it is part of the health workforce plan that the government finally tabled after more than two years of the Liberals urging them to do so. So I’m willing to support it for that reason as well. I would even look further down the line and recommend that the government research wooing some retired health professionals to come back and, maybe with a small amount of in-service upgrading, be able to then serve in a similar capacity as a mentor or a trainer of residents or a tester of capacities because, again, we don’t have enough people that are currently working. Maybe there’s a way to get a couple of people out of retirement willing to do this on a part-time basis, which would still be helpful.
The real stumbling block was liability. Medical liability, as you know, is staggeringly expensive because the payouts are staggeringly expensive. Some of the people that were willing to do this said: well, you know, I’d love to, but not if it’s going to cost me, and if I have to look after increased liability insurance, then no. So this bill is really trying to address that to make sure that we’ve looked after the people who have come forward and offered to work with us to offer those competency assessments of health professionals that are trained outside of Alberta, again stressing that it’s not just about physicians and nurses but all health professionals, that are sometimes called the allied health arts.
At this point I’m certainly willing as the shadow minister for Health and Wellness to support Bill 50 in second reading. Thank you.
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