Outrage from parents that Alberta Health Services (AHS) would no longer be offering popsicles, ginger ale or juice boxes to paediatric cancer patients appears to have resulted in the health agency backing away from some planned changes to its food and drink policies.

A copy of the memo detailing the changes, issued by AHS on March 17 and obtained by Global News, stated that “patient food services will no longer supply food to non-inpatient areas, such as diagnostic imaging, endoscopy, IV clinics, etc.” Instead, it adds, “clinics are encouraged to remind patients to bring snacks, meals or money for food purchases.”

The changes were supposed to take effect on April 1.

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Parents complained to Global News that AHS was taking away food items that are critical to help patients, such as childhood cancer patients, deal with the trauma of chemotherapy and other forms of treatment.

However, in a statement issued Tuesday morning from Andre Tremblay, the interim CEO of AHS, the health agency insists the policy changes were “misinterpreted.”

The statement said the changes were “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.”

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Tremblay said he has reviewed the policy and has decided that AHS will not move forward with the changes.