Still no public inquiry, Zwozdesky says
5th doctor came forward about muzzling but health minister adamant against inquiry
After a fifth doctor came forward on Friday with allegations of being muzzled, Alberta Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky said there is still no evidence of intimidation of doctors in the current health system, and that he isn't going to launch a public inquiry.
"Well, I don't have any proof or evidence that people are being intimidated today," Zwozdesky said.
"The Health Quality Council will look into the allegations about the past."
Zwozdesky said on Friday that Alberta's Health Quality Council could deal with the allegations through an already launched review of emergency and cancer care services.
Zwozdesky said he sees no reason to agree to opposition calls for a public inquiry into the issue, and that nothing can be done about what has already happened.
"I can't stop something that was alleged to have occurred three, four, five, six, 12, 15 years ago," he said.
"What we can do is try to influence where we're going with this in the future."
Breaking the silence
Five doctors have gone public with allegations of intimidation since March 10, citing incidents that stretch back several years.
High-profile Calgary psychiatrist Lloyd Maybaum is the latest doctor to go public with allegations of being muzzled.
Maybaum said he was pressured from the highest levels of government to stop urging other doctors to lobby for a new psychiatric facility in Calgary after Alberta Health Services dumped the plan in 2008. Maybaum was president of the Calgary Physicians Association at the time.
Maybaum said he has heard from other Alberta doctors who, like him, were discouraged from or afraid of speaking out about health-care issues.
"By and large they're all fearful," Maybaum said.
"And so this problem is real and it's tangible and anyone that suggests that it isn't is completely out of touch and out of tune with health-care workers."
Allegations have been made by independent MLA Raj Sherman that doctors were told to keep quiet about the number of people dying while waiting for treatment.
'There is no silencing today. It's the exact opposite.' —Gene Zwozdesky, Alberta Health Minister
Zwozdesky told reporters on Friday that the alleged problem has been fixed.
"There is a very different culture here than the culture we had five or 12 years ago," he said in French.
It has been at least two or three years since the cultural change has taken place, he said.
"At this time, in Alberta, we encourage doctors to talk about these issues. There is no silencing today. It's the exact opposite."