System at breaking point: aahp calls for transparency and action
Press Release
๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐: ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
๐ฆ๐. ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ปโ๐ – The Association of Allied Health Professionals (AAHP) is voicing deep concerns over a series of recent announcements and ongoing issues that are threatening the stability of Newfoundland and Labradorโs public healthcare system and undermining the retention of vital healthcare professionals.
โDespite repeated commitments made during contract negotiations, NL Health Services has failed to follow through on several key promises, including the establishment of a new pay scale for health professionals and the timely work of the Strategic Leadership Committee,โ said Gordon Piercey, AAHP President. โPostponements, delays, and lack of direction have left allied health professionals feeling ignored and undervalued.โ
The AAHP states that frontline workers were promised clear and consistent communication, along with a genuine seat at the table when decisions affecting their work and their patients were being made. โInstead, we are seeing the oppositeโcritical service changes being planned without consultation, vague announcements without details, and silence where there should be collaboration,โ added Piercey.
Among AAHPโs pressing concerns are:
โข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ , including the Health Sciences Centre and St. Clareโs Mercy Hospital, with employees left in the dark despite reports of impacts to critical services.
โข ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ก, raising questions about the scope of โfully contractedโ services, the role of low- vs. high-acuity care, and the impact on the provinceโs Medical Flight Team.
โข ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐น๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐, which contained little to no detail on how GovNL prioritized stabilizing a healthcare system already in crisis.
โข ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ as new initiatives are announced without the necessary resources, staffing, or funding in place.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ
AAHP also has significant concerns about the recently released Newfoundland and Labrador Education Accord. While the Accord presents opportunities to expand the roles of allied health professionals and align them more closely with education and wellness priorities, it also poses risks that cannot be ignored.
โHistory has shown that new initiatives are too often implemented without the resources necessary to make them sustainable. When that happens, the consequences are felt directly by allied health professionals and the public they serveโthrough heavier workloads, compromised care, and diminished outcomes,โ said Piercey.
AAHP is clear: AAHP cannot fully endorse the Education Accord until there is concrete assurance that its implementation will be properly resourced, strategically planned, and aligned with the workforceโs capacity. Anything less risks undermining both the professionals who deliver care and the communities who rely on it.
AAHPโs commitments in response to the Education Accord include:
1. ๐๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด โ Demanding dedicated funding, workload protections, and real recruitment and retention incentives.
2. ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ โ Guarding against role creep and ensuring professional boundaries and standards are respected.
3. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐น๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต โ Making sure allied health professionals are fully recognized and leveraged in meaningful ways.
4. ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ โ Ensuring professional learning expectations come with paid time, structured supports, and funding.
Another area requiring clarity is who will employ allied health professionals in schools? Models vary across jurisdictionsโfrom direct education hires to health-education contractsโand each option carries significant implications for professional oversight, service integration, and workload impacts. Without clear answers, the risk of fragmentation and added strain on healthcare professionals remains high.
๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
AAHP stresses that these problems are not only creating instability in the healthcare system but also damaging morale and retention efforts at a time when Newfoundland and Labrador cannot afford to lose skilled healthcare professionals.
โWith an election on the horizon, the government appears focused on political priorities while the critical work of stabilizing our healthcare system is being left behind,โ said Piercey. โOur members are angry, frustrated, and exhausted. They want to deliver the best care possible, but they cannot do it without honesty, communication, and meaningful support from their employer.โ
AAHP is calling on NL Health Services and the provincial government to immediately engage with frontline allied health professionals, follow through on commitments, and provide transparent communication on planned service changes and system priorities.
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๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ
The Association of Allied Health Professionals (AAHP) represents 850 allied health professionals across Newfoundland and Labrador, advocating for fair working conditions, professional recognition, and high-quality patient care.
๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐:
Erin Curran
709-325-7193
erin@lupinecommunications.com