Health officials meeting about nurse layoffs

Alberta Health Services representatives will meet with staff later today, afterdeciding to get rid of nurse practitionersat urgent care centres in Airdrie and Cochrane.

CBC news first reported that story this week.

Ellen Novak is a nurse practitioner at the urgent care centres in Cochrane and Airdrie.

"They will have to replace our positions with medical doctors and their funding comes out of a different pot, so it will still be a cost," Novac said. "Unfortunately, you know it's a lot higher of a cost so I do think we're cost-effective."

Wildrose MLA Rob Anderson, who represents Airdrie, says there is not a lot of honesty going on.

"It's just absolutely the wrong way to go about it and AHS should reconsider this decision and start cutting things like senior AHS executives who are making probably 10 times what they should be making and start putting money to the front lines," Anderson said.

Health Minister Fred Horne says they are just discussing the best way to deploy staff at the urgent care centres.

However, that contradicts a memo sent on Monday from the director for Bow Valley Community and Rural health that states the nurse practitioners will be let go at the end of March to improve efficiencies and save funds.

AHS is meeting Thursday evening with the doctors and nurse practitioners.