Thread by @DShepYEG

Yesterday I was copied on a letter to @shandro from 12 palliative care doctors in the South AB Zone.

In it they state that due to the cuts he forced through on April 1, they "will not be able to continue to provide ongoing, high-quality palliative care to our community." #ableg

You can read the letter (or see my full video: facebook.com/dshepYEG/video…) to understand just how @shandro & the UCP's cuts of approx. 45% make it unaffordable for them to continue to provide 24/7 palliative care.

Yet UCP ran on investing *more* to support palliative care. #ableg

But the doctors are clear: it's not about $, but their community's access to care:

"We grieve for rural patients we won't be able to visit, for the days & nights that our zone may not have a palliative care physician on call & available to ease suffering of our patients" #ableg

And they note that @shandro & the UCP's cuts will make it much harder to recruit new palliative care doctors. Indeed, one they just hired may now not come as it would mean a 50% cut from what she earns in Saskatchewan. #ableg

And in the end, robbing Albertans in southern communities likely won't even save $ as quality palliative care saves $ by providing patients & families w/ support outside of hospitals in comfort & dignity. #ableg

So I stand w/ these 12 doctors in calling on @shandro & the UCP to "reconsider [their] approach, in order to ensure that efficient, high quality palliative care continues to be available to each & every Southern Albertan who requires it"

Because Albertans deserve better. #ableg

Thank you @KeriCrewsonMD for clarifying that palliative care is for ANY person with chronic illness who has suffering and symptoms to be managed.

So these cuts affect not only the actively dying but also those who are chronically ill & have symptoms doctors help manage. #ableg