On behalf of Brent McEwan, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of the Primary Care and Rural Health Division and Kim Simmonds, CEO of Primary Care Alberta, we would like to provide you with an update on the process to transfer positions from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to Primary Care Alberta (PCA).
Positions were identified based on alignment with the responsibilities shifting to PCA to support the newly established provincial health agency. Staff transferring to PCA can expect a smooth transition including continuity of pay, benefits, pension, standard hours, vacation entitlement, seniority, union affiliation, work location and clinical and corporate systems and processes.
Below, please find key messages to share within your organization and to support conversations. You can also find additional resources including staff FAQs and workforce transfer fact sheets specific to physicians, PCNs and general workforce transfer on primarycarealberta.ca.
Key Messages:
- Primary Care Alberta (PCA) is a new provincial health agency that oversees the governance, coordination, and delivery of primary health care services across the province so the system can work for health care providers and Albertans.
- Approximately 1,350 people have been notified of the intent to transfer their position from AHS to PCA, effective February 1, 2025. Programs, functions, and positions identified for transfer include Health Link 811, AHS staff who work in Primary Care Networks and select primary care clinics that are owned and operated by AHS, Provincial Midwifery Services, Facilitated Access to Surgical Treatment (FAST) program, some parts of Virtual Care, Access and Navigation (V-CAN) and the Primary Health Care provincial program.
- For clinics selected to transfer to PCA, day-to-day operations will be the same the day after the transfer as it was the day before. Business operations, processes and systems will remain the same. Most clinic contracts and conditions will not change. All existing funding and resource-sharing agreements will remain in place.
- Throughout the transfer to PCA, there will be no disruption to service delivery or processes (including clinic operations) and no change to how patients access primary care services.
- All acute care and primary care services currently offered at AHS or PCA-operated clinics will be maintained.
- PCA will not assume ownership or management of existing independent family practices, set compensation for primary care practitioners or direct physicians on how to organize clinics and provide care.
- While there will be no immediate impacts to operations, over time, PCA will streamline processes and coordinate services so physicians and front-line providers can focus on caring for Albertans in a more modern, responsive, and unified health system.
Alberta Health, PCA and AHS are working together to ensure a smooth, collaborative transfer process for staff. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. For PCA-related questions, email ask@primarycarealberta.ca. For MAPS-related questions, email health.MAPS@gov.ab.ca.
Brent McEwan
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Primary Care and Rural Health Division,
Alberta Health
Kim Simmonds
CEO, Primary Care Alberta