Dear Residents of Hinton,
Alberta should be a province where everyone can access the health care they need, when and where they need it. While we have made progress in many areas, we have more work to do, and rural Alberta is no exception. This was highlighted recently when Mayor Nissen declared a local health crisis and affirmed the need for more physicians.
We want to reassure you that these calls for help are not left unheard, and that your government is working diligently to address Hinton’s needs.
Rural and remote Albertans face unique challenges requiring unique solutions. To address the rural physician shortage over the long term, our government has undertaken some key initiatives.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has recently expanded its sponsorship policy to allow for communities to sponsor international medical graduates for the practice readiness assessment that they need to obtain a license in Alberta, which was previously only possible through AHS. This is a common-sense solution which will make it easier for rural communities to bring physicians right to your neighbourhood.
We are also working closely with the Alberta Medical Association to develop a new family physician compensation model to encourage more physicians to practice family medicine in Alberta. When it’s fully implemented, it will make Alberta a national leader in recruiting and retaining primary care physicians.
Additionally, we recently announced an expanded scope of practice for nurse practitioners to work independently and provide more Albertans with access to primary care clinics. This will have an immediate and direct impact on communities like Hinton.
We are currently working alongside AHS to recruit five new family physicians to the area, on top of the one recently recruited to Hinton.
These initiatives aim to address recruitment, access, education and retention of health professionals in rural Alberta.
We know there is more work to be done, and we look forward to announcing more efforts to address rural health needs in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your patience as we build a health system that truly offers improved access to care for all.
Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health and Martin Long, MLA for West Yellowhead/ Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health
