Alberta UCP leader promises more beds, opioid treatment programs

The leader of Alberta's United Conservativessays that, if elected, his party would open more beds, explore private surgeriesand expand treatment programs to help people battling drug and opioid addictions.

Jason Kenney says a UCP government would not approve new supervised drug consumption sites without extensive consultations with affected communities.

He also says those sites would ideally be accompanied by treatment services.

Kenney says it's critical to balance help for users with safe neighbourhoods free of discarded needles and to avoid an increase in drug-related crime.

The opioid plan is part of a broader package of health reforms promised by Kenney in the campaign for the April 16 election.

He is promising that he would review health spending to find $200 million in administrative savings.

Surgery wait times

He says wait times for surgeries under the NDP are falling behind, and he would explore ways to have more day procedures done by private clinics under the public system to improve service and save money.

Such a system has been successful in Saskatchewan, he says.

"We will seek to replicate the phenomenal success of the Saskatchewan surgical initiative to meet our goal of a four-month maximum wait time for surgery," Kenney told a news conference Thursday.

He said reducing surgical wait times should have an impact on reducing opioid addictions, because people will spend less time on prescribed painkillers.

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A new report from theCanadian Institute For Health Information (CIHI) showed more Albertans are waiting longer for hip and knee replacements, as well as cataract surgeries, when comparing data from April-September 2018 to the same time period two years prior.

Other surgeries, including hip fracture repair and radiation therapy, saw an improvement in wait times in that time period.

Opposition to private pitch

Rachel Notley's New Democrats are running on a promise not to expand private care within the public system, because, the party says, that can lead to queue-jumping and even higher costs.

The NDP has promised to keep health-care funding sufficient for a growing population, and says Kenney's refusal to match that promise means hardships and delays for patients.

CIHI's data analysisshowed that Albertans have shorter wait times than those in Saskatchewan for hip and knee replacements, as wellas hip fracture repairs and radiation therapy, a pro-public healthcare group said in a statement released following Kenney's announcement.

Friends of Medicare questioned the success of the private-public mix in Saskatchewan, saying it required millions in government funds to build and operate facilities. The four-year initiative did result in shorter wait times but the group note those have increased in recent years.

Kenney proposed appointing an associate minister for mental health and addictions and promised to spend an additional $100 million on a mental heath and addiction strategy.

A UCP-led Alberta government would also adda method to ensure that provincial funds go to evidence-based programs, including faith-based ones, Kenney said, and lift the cap on midwives.

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