Alberta Health Services halts plan to reduce patient food, drinks after pushback

EDMONTON — The head of Alberta Health Services says the agency is halting a proposed food-reduction policy after public outcry over patients potentially being cut off from snacks and drinks.

The agency’s interim president and CEO, Andre Tremblay, said the policy was set to go into effect Tuesday to change how food is stored and delivered in an effort to reduce waste — not to deprive patients of food.

“We are concerned by the misinterpretation of this proposed policy and are looking into reports that food and drink may not have been available to patients. We remain focused on delivering high-quality care to all Albertans where and when they need it,” Tremblay said in a news release.

Amanda Moppett-Beatch, whose 11-year-old son receives regular outpatient cancer treatments, including lumbar punctures, told The Canadian Press items like ginger ale provide him essential relief.

“When he wakes up, he can’t get his IV out until he has shown he can sit up and he can have a drink,” she said.

She added that with all the chemotherapy some children receive, they can barely stomach anything, whether it’s a toddler who just needs to nibble on a cracker, or a tired teen.

“As oncology families, we’re tired, we’re exhausted. So it just didn’t seem right,” she said.

She said a nurse told her last week that families would need to start packing their own snacks like popsicles.

“It is essential for these kiddos, and it’s a little piece of joy,” said Moppett-Beatch, who also took to social media to express her frustration.

She said she hopes AHS never implements the policy but has concerns it could still come, leaving patients from oncology clinics to emergency departments without the essentials.

“I do worry — what will they still try and take away?”

United Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith said at an unrelated announcement Tuesday that the intent of the AHS policy, originally decided in September, got “lost in translation.”

“It was a misapplication and a misinterpretation of a policy direction that’s since been paused.”

Smith said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange called AHS to get to the bottom of what went wrong once she heard reports of snacks and drinks being withheld.

The agency’s reversal comes after an internal March 17 memo began circulating online announcing changes to “food supplies to emergency departments and non-in-patient areas.”

It said that in emergency rooms starting April 1, “a reduced list of essential nourishment items will be provided to sites based on clinical needs.” Meal trays would still be available to admitted in-patients.

The memo also said the agency’s patient food services would no longer supply food to non-in-patient areas, including diagnostic imaging, endoscopy and IV clinics. There would be exemptions, including for day surgery patients.

“Clinics are encouraged to remind patients to bring snacks, meals or money for food purchases and including a reminder about food in appointment communications may help patients prepare accordingly,” it said.

Posting a copy to social media on March 23, Dr. Paul Parks, an emergency room physician and former head of the Alberta Medical Association, said many patients can spend days in the emergency department before being admitted.

“What are we doing Alberta? Is this how we want to treat our seniors in our (emergency departments)? Or how we want to treat our unhoused (patients) with mental illness and hunger in our (emergency departments)?” he wrote.

On Tuesday, AHS did not provide The Canadian Press with an estimate of what costs it was hoping to save with the initiative.

AHS spokesperson Christine Myatt said in an email any communication to patients or their families about the potential impacts of the planned policy was premature.

“The memo states clearly that patient care is our top priority and food would be provided based on clinical needs. The intent of the policy was never to withhold items like popsicles or ginger ale that were needed to support care,” said Myatt.

Sarah Hoffman, Opposition NDP health critic, said taking popsicles and juice boxes away from kids undergoing medical treatment is cruel, but it’s about more than just popsicles.

“It’s about supplying something to eat for people fasting for appointments and people stuck in the emergency room who may not have brought money for food,” she said in a statement.

She laid the blame on Smith’s UCP, saying the move is part of a larger trend from the government.

“Propose something terrible, then marginally walk it back when the public realizes how bad it is,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press