Premier Danielle Smith has called for immediate reforms in Alberta Health Services’ procurement processes following the release of Judge Raymond Wyant’s report, which reviewed the handling of children’s pain medication and chartered surgical facility contracts.The report, which examined over two million documents and interviewed 26 individuals, found no evidence that the premier, any minister, political staff, or Alberta Public Service employees acted improperly. However, it concluded that AHS procurement in these cases was not consistent with its own policies, and decision makers failed to exercise adequate due diligence, including legal reviews and proper disclosure of potential conflicts of interest.“Although elected officials, senior staff and members of the public service acted appropriately, I am deeply disappointed with the way these procurements and contracts were dealt with by AHS decision makers and some of its employees,” Smith said. She stressed that taxpayer dollars must be protected through rigorous processes, and conflicts of interest must be properly disclosed and managed..The premier noted that the report highlights deficiencies in AHS policies and enforcement. Procurement is now being moved into Acute Care Alberta, a shift Smith says will allow for stronger transparency and accountability.Judge Wyant made 18 recommendations for strengthening procurement policies, codes of conduct, legal oversight, and conflict of interest rules. Smith directed deputy minister Dale McFee to work with impacted ministries and the new health procurement secretariat to implement the recommendations as quickly as possible.The government also plans to accelerate the Activity-Based Funding model for surgical services, which sets a standard, non-negotiated fee per completed surgery. Smith said the move will increase transparency and allow for more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.The full Wyant report, Procurement Processes, Practices and Outcomes at Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services, is publicly available..AHS issued a statement on the report."Alberta Health Services (AHS) accepts the findings contained in Judge Wyant’s report," read the statement."In recent months, AHS has been working alongside our partners to strengthen internal controls and improve training. We are also committed to enhancing our conflict-of-interest disclosure processes. With new leadership in place at every level of our organization, we will continue to build on these improvements while focusing clearly on our new mandate of providing Albertans with high-quality hospital-based acute care services.""We will cooperate fully to implement Judge Wyant’s recommendations."
