"Put Yourself in Their Shoes": HSAA Sounds the Alarm on Health Care with New Advertising Campaign

EDMONTON – As more than half a million Albertans experience long waits for care, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) is launching a new public campaign calling for a better deal for Alberta’s health-care professionals and better health care for all Albertans.

The “Put Yourself in Their Shoes” campaign asks Albertans to step into the experience of the province’s 30,000 specialized health-care professionals who continue to deliver critical care to patients in a system stretched to its limits. Recent data shows more than 80,000 Albertans are waiting for surgery, 170,000 for diagnostics, and 250,000 for specialist appointments. Long waits recently resulted in a cancelled chemotherapy treatment for an 11-year-old boy.

“Every day, our members see the consequences of short staffing, dangerous workloads, and burnout. They are doing everything they can for their patients, but they cannot keep doing more with less,” said HSAA Vice-President Leanne Alfaro. “In a global shortage of health workers, Alberta must be competitive. This means real action to retain and recruit the professionals needed to cut these long wait times now, not later. Today, we are sounding the alarm and we’re asking for Albertans to help us call for more support for these professionals.”

The campaign includes new radio, digital and social media advertising that share the real stories of the people behind Alberta’s care system. HSAA members include diagnostic imaging technologists, respiratory therapists, paramedics, pharmacists, addictions counsellors, physiotherapists and 200 other professions providing essential care across the province.

As part of the campaign, HSAA is also launching “Code Blue Wednesdays” to show visible solidarity among members across Alberta. Each Wednesday, health-care professionals will be wearing blue clothing and HSAA gear to work as they stand together for a better deal.

“Our members have waited 18 months for a new contract,” said Alfaro. “As we return to the bargaining table, we are asking the provincial government to respect, value and invest in their ability to deliver the high-quality care patients and their families deserve.”

Albertans are also invited to share their own stories and messages of support online at hsaa.ca/StandWith. Members of the public can submit a short message, thank you, or story about how short staffing and long waits have affected their care. HSAA will be bringing these messages to Alberta Health Services directly when bargaining resumes November 12th.

“We are all connected by this crisis. Health-care professionals cannot fix it alone. We need Albertans to stand with us and call for the changes needed to retain and recruit the specialists needed to meaningfully lower these wait times and improve care,” said Alfaro.

HSAA represents more than 30,000 specialized health care professionals across the province, including 22,000 members covered under the collective agreement with Alberta Health Services and related agencies and corporations.

-30-

Media Inquiries:  
Matt Dykstra, Communications Officer  
780-224-9202 | mdykstra@hsaa.ca