The province's refocusing of the health care system continued on May 1.
In a press conference, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange introduced Bill 55, the Health Statutes Amendments Act, which addresses "outstanding policy items" in the new system.
Amendments under the bill will make changes to the Provincial Health Agencies Act, Hospitals Act, Protection of Persons in Care Act, Health Information Act, and the Public Health Act.
"A year and a half in, and we are in the final stages of refocusing Alberta’s health care system. The proposed changes will help us continue to improve the health care system for all Albertans," said LaGrange in a media release accompanying the press conference.
The amendments introduced will transfer several public health functions currently handled by Alberta Health Services (AHS) to Primary Care Alberta, which became a functional entity in February of this year, leaving AHS to primarily handle in-hospital patient care.
Primary Care Alberta, meanwhile, will take over front-line public health services such as communicable disease control, immunizations, newborn screenings, and health promotion.
Other functions being moved away from AHS, such as policy development, public health inspections and surveillance, will be moved to Alberta Health. The medical officers of health who work in the province will move to the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
During the media conference, LaGrange emphasized that Albertans will see no interruptions in service while the changes are implemented.
"Albertans will continue to access public health services as they always have," said LaGrange.
An amendment to the Protection of Persons in Care Act will provide additional capabilities for the province to investigate allegations of abuse.
Another change being made is to the Health Information Act, which is going to allow the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services further powers and confirm the ministry as custodians of health information so that it can fulfill its mandate in providing care under Assisted Living Alberta.
Finally, several sections of the Hospitals Act will be repealed as aspects of hospital management will be integrated into the Provincial Health Agencies Act, and other aspects have been deemed to be outdated and no longer relevant.
Changes under the amended legislation will also allow the new health shared services entity, a fifth agency which services and administratively supports all four new health agencies created by the province, to provide support for health foundations across all sectors and remove all references to health regions.
The amended legislation is likely to be proclaimed in the fall of 2025.
It remains to be seen how critics and health sector stakeholders will respond to the new legislation.
