Doctor accuses health board of intimidation

Another Alberta doctor says the government threatened him with a lawsuit after he publicly criticized the local health region.

Five doctors have gone public with allegations of intimidation since March 10, citing incidents that stretch back several years.

Now, Dr. Allan Garbutt who practices in the Crowsnest Pass says he has been threatened with legal action for criticizing the system.

Garbutt said he has had a couple of high-profile disagreements with health officials, once over a special x-ray machine for the local hospital and another time when he was publicly critical of a new health program.

Gurbutt explained a visiting orthopedic surgeon paid $50,000 from his own pocket toward the cost of new equipment for the local hospital but once the machine was on it's way — things changed. "The region said you can't have it," said Garbutt. "They flat out refused to let us have it."

Later, member of the regional health board issued a verbal warning after Garbutt wrote a critical letter to a local newspaper. "She warned me if I kept advocating things for our hospital bad things would happen. I got a letter from the region's lawyer saying ... retract or we'll sue you."

Frustrated, Garbutt wrote a recent letter to Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann, outlining his troubles.

"The government has done some good things ... but you can't go around threatening the guys and girls who make this system work," Garbutt told CBC News on Thursday. "I don't work for the government, I work for my patients. I have to be out there saying my patients need this."

The Health Minister says the situation is being reviewed. The Liberals are demanding a public inquiry.