Richard Froese
New regional health advisory councils were announced July 10 and the provincial government is committed to responding to the needs and priorities of local communities.
Two councils have been designated in the Peace region while all health councils will have a maximum of 16 members.
However, looking at the maps, residents may question the reconfiguration and population of the two regions.
Region 4 basically covers the Lesser Slave Lake electoral district, with the major towns of Slave Lake, with a population of about 7,000 and High Prairie with about 2,400.
Current members include five from the High Prairie and Big Lakes County region, two from Slave Lake and one from Wabasca.
Region 3 covers a wider area, with the Grande Prairie region alone having a population of about 100,000 – for the city and the county combined. Peace River is the next largest community with a population of 6,600.
Currently, the council has six members from the Grande Prairie area. The council is chaired by Town of Falher Mayor Donna Buchinski, a longtime advocate of rural health care. She no doubt looks out for the healthcare needs and priorities of all rural communities. Buchinski was appointed to the first Peace Health Advisory Council in 2009 and served for six years.
The council also includes one member from Peace River, two from Beaverlodge, one from Wembley and one from Bluesky.
Certainly, all council members in all regions will focus not just on issues in their own areas, but throughout the entire health region.
To fill the councils, the government must also ensure all areas of the region are represented as best and as much as possible.
By engaging with residents, providers and organizations, councils will gather comments, concerns and priorities, identify challenges and present ideas and information that may not otherwise reach government. Councils may host events to hear from residents and help gather comments on local issues.
Healthcare services in the province have become so large and complex and in high demand.
One health ministry is definitely too much to manage the entire system.
The mental health and addiction ministry was introduced June 9, 2023.
Now health care has four ministries after a cabinet shuffle May 16.
The health ministry became primary and preventative health services.
Premier Danielle Smith created the ministry of hospital and surgical health services and the ministry of assisted living and social services. It will definitely lighten the load for the ministers and make it more manageable to address local issues.
Patients and residents urge health councils and government to work together to resolve many of the longstanding concerns to provide services that Albertans want and deserve.