Alberta announces $158M Health Workforce Strategy

The Government of Alberta has unveiled a plan that it says will aid in attracting and retaining healthcare workers.

The government says the Health Workforce Strategy will include new models for emergency medical services (EMS). It will also entail funding to train more physicians, nurses, healthcare aides, and allied health professionals.

The strategy will fund $90 million for programs to attract and retain physicians to rural areas and $29 million to fulfill the government’s commitments under the 2022 agreement with the Alberta Medical Association. It also includes $7 million for the targeted recruitment of nurses from the United States and United Kingdom, and $1 million for the provincial Nurse Navigator program.

As part of the upcoming Alberta Budget 2023, Health Minister Jason Copping says the $158 million plan lays the foundation for a resilient and sustainable healthcare system. CHAT News Today