AHS Superboard Released Its $11B Alberta Health Budget

Last May I did this blog post suggesting the Alberta Health Services Superboard should go...(along with regional PDD and Children's Service boards).

The $11Billlion budget is out and if it passed without a debate or even a question about that much money being spent by appointed people, where is the due diligence, the oversight and the responsibility to public duty of such an entity.  Don Braid of the Calgary Herald covers some of these concern rather well in his column.

I have no trouble with the quality and character of the people on the Superboard. I just don't know what value they add to solving the concerns around health care in Alberta.  Those should be handled by the government itself.  It seems like the disbanding of the regional boards for political reasons and the set up of the Superboard, for other political reasons, was just another Liepert induced level of bureaucracy that distances political policy makers from the problems. 

This structure is confusing about who is in charge.  It does not enhance transparency, accountability or assure citizens of integrity and fiscal responsibility for our tax dollars. It does not help health care providers or the government meet their responsibility to provide health care for Albertans. 

Time has come to disband the Superboard and make the Minister and his administration directly accountable.  The evidence is that since Gene Zwozdesky took over they are very capable of doing the job and don't need or want an buffer from the realities and challenges.