P.E.I. unions take issue with Health P.E.I. CEO's privatization comments

Unions representing health-care workers on P.E.I. are speaking out after recent comments Health P.E.I'.s CEO made about privatization and public health-care services at a legislative committee meeting.

"I don't personally get too fussed about whether someone is private, broader public sector, a university," Melanie Fraser said on Jan. 22 when discussing a private MRI clinic that's set to open in Summerside this spring.

Fraser said health-care decisions should be good for patients and staff, provide value for money and deliver safe, high quality care — whether it comes from a public or private provider.

But delivery models that allow private companies to "swoop in" to fill gaps in health care are part of the "privatization playbook," said Ashley Clark, president of CUPE P.E.I., which represents about 1,000 health-care workers.

"I think it's part of the electoral politics where you want quick wins, you want splashy numbers that look good, you want fast results that hold you over until the next election and you'll deal with the ramifications later," Clark said. 

"What the evidence shows is that in the long-term, private enterprises are not as effective, they're not as equitable and they don't serve the community as well as public services."

Lacks transparency and accountability, union says

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), which represents health-care workers such as medical office assistants, said it was "deeply concerned" about how privatization could impact equitable access to health care.

"The core principle of the Canadian health-care system is that all residents should have access to medically necessary services based on need rather than the ability to pay," the union said in a statement.

"The introduction and expansion of private clinics by Health P.E.I. risks creating a two-tiered system, where individuals with financial resources can gain quicker access to care, while those relying on public services face prolonged wait times."

In a statement to CBC News, P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees (UPSE) president Karen Jackson said the union disagrees with Fraser's comments.

"UPSE opposes the privatization of health care and doesn't believe it provides 'good value for money'  for the taxpayers," the statement reads.

"Private health care often lacks the transparency and accountability that public health-care systems provide, making it difficult for the public to access information about quality, costs, and treatment outcomes...

"Instead of relying on privatization to fill gaps, investing in public sector staff and addressing wage disparities will lead to a more stable and sustainable healthcare workforce which is more cost-effective and accountable to taxpayers."

Health P.E.I. did not respond to a request for comment before publication.