AHS president says previously proposed policy was not meant to deprive patients of food. Rawpixelimages/Dreamstime.com

By Jayk Sterkenburg

HEALTH CARE

Alberta Health Services pauses planned changes to food policy in emergency departments

Apr 1, 2025 | 10:51 AM

Alberta Health Services president Andre Tremblay announced Tuesday that AHS will no longer move forward with changes concerning the way food is supplied in emergency departments other non-inpatient areas.

In September 2024, AHS approved changes to the way food is supplied in the areas, and the policy was set to take effect April 1.

Tremblay said that after media reports surfaced, the Minister of Health raised concerns about the implementation of the policy and asked him to look into reports that food and drink may not have been made available to patients.

Amanda Moppett-Beatch, a mother of a child battling brain cancer for the past two years, expressed in a Facebook post how impactful a simple popsicle can calm a child undergoing treatment.

“How this passed into action, I can’t even imagine. Had they asked the nurses, the patients, the parents…” she said.

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“Don’t take away this small and sweet piece of joy to these unlucky kids enduring hell… find something else to pick on. Us Oncology families are dealing with enough.”

Moppet-Beatch, whose 11-year-old son is undergoing cancer treatment, said a new AHS policy to no longer offer popsicles and other treats to help children deal with trauma makes no sense. Courtesy/Facebook

Tremblay said the proposed policy was not meant to deprive patients of food.

“What was meant to change is how food is stored and delivered to patients in an effort to reduce waste that is occurring in our hospitals,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

“I have reviewed this policy which was brought forward prior to my arrival at AHS and, after feedback from clinicians, have decided that AHS will not move forward with these changes.”

Tremblay said AHS is concerned by the misinterpretation of the proposed policy, and it is 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,” he said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Tuesday that the initial decision’s intention was to change food delivery, so that any potential spoilage and waste of food could be reduced.

“Somehow that got implemented in a way that was not consistent with what the policy was,” she said at a conference in Brooks.

“We want to make sure that we can save on food waste, but the intention was never to deny patients sustenance while they’re waiting for treatment or after treatment.”

Smith said it was a misinterpretation of a policy direction that has since been paused.

Meantime, Sarah Hoffman, Alberta’s New Democrat Shadow Minister for Health, issued the following statement in response:

“The choices they make show the UCP government is more focused on cuts, chaos and corruption than providing care, comfort and compassion to kids with cancer.

“Taking popsicles and juice boxes away from kids undergoing treatment is cruel. And this is 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.

“The Health Minister clearly has no idea what’s happening in her department.

“This is what the UCP always do. Propose something terrible, then marginally walk it back when the public realizes how bad it is.

“Albertans deserve better than this unethical, incompetent government.”