“Our team as a whole has recently learned of the resignation of many medical physicists, including the Director of Medical Physics, mainly due to concerns about pay and workload.
“This is a catastrophic loss for the radiation program,” says the letter to Dr.  Dean Ruthie, medical director of the oncology community in Alberta, and Dr.  Don Morris, medical director of the Tom Baker Cancer Unit.
“It is not possible to operate a radiation department without a sufficient number of trained and experienced physicians. These people are highly trained specialists with clinical and technical expertise. They are a valuable resource and not just replaceable technicians and are vital to the safety of radiotherapy for our patients “.
The letter states that several physicists, including the program director, have resigned in recent months over pay and working conditions.
“The most worrying aspect of this situation is that it did not have to be that way. Concerns about physical therapists were expressed at least three to four years ago, if not more. If the issues had been addressed properly and earlier, we would not have had it. the position today “.
Supporters of a new cancer center in Calgary are worried that difficult economic times will completely derail plans for the much-needed facility in the city.
In an e-mailed statement, Alberta Health Services spokesman James Wood said: “Quality and safe patient care is a priority for Cancer Care Alberta and the Tom Baker Cancer Center.
“Patient care is not affected at this time.”
Wood also went on to say, “We do not anticipate service problems as we plan to move to the new cancer center in 2023.”

LACK WILL HAVE IMPACT

The president of the Canadian Association of Medical Physicists (COMP) disputes this statement, saying that the lack of physicists will definitely affect Alberta Health’s ability to open and staff the new cancer center.
In an email to CTV, Wayne Beckham wrote: “This exit from medical physicists has the potential to affect the sheer amount of highly skilled work required to operate the new Calgary Cancer Center with radiotherapy. 
“Every time you see staff reductions like what happened in Calgary, there is reason to worry that this could affect patients’ access to quality cancer care in this case of radiotherapy. In addition, MPs (Medical Physicists) are also solely responsible. for testing new equipment to ensure that it operates in accordance with the specifications and that it is operated safely to allow its use for the treatment of patients.
Beckham said concerns about physicists’ wages are not just about wages but also about progress across the pay scale. in the initial compensation It is difficult for them when the former trainees now make as much as their mentors.  “Now they see physicists leaving and transferring their skills to where they will gain market value commensurate with their experience.”
Alberta physicists are currently the second lowest paid in Canada with an average salary of $ 143,000 per year in 2021, second only to those in British Columbia.
A spokesman for AHS Wood admits there are staffing issues, but says they are being addressed.
“We face some staffing and recruitment challenges at TBCC (Tom Baker Cancer Center) in the role of medical specialist, as well as many other specialized roles that are in high demand throughout North America. “AHS will provide medical physicists with a one-time salary increase next month and we are optimistic that it will help with our recruitment and retention efforts, in partnership with the University of Calgary.”
None of the 24 doctors who signed the letter spoke publicly after receiving advice to refer any questions to the AHS.  This raises some serious issues, according to University of Calgary law professor and health policy expert Lorian Hardcastle.
“I think encouraging staff not to talk suggests that something more is happening.  “And I think the AHS should, instead of trying to silence the critics, deal with the root of these criticisms,” Hardcastle said.
“Doctors here are just fulfilling this advocacy role,” he added, “and raise concerns about staff who believe they will influence patient care, teaching and other important aspects of the healthcare system, and so concerns, then I think the silencing is problematic because the public would not otherwise know that these concerns exist “.
Alberta physicists are currently the second lowest paid in Canada with an average salary of $ 143,000 per year in 2021, second only to those in British Columbia.