File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent

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AN ACCESSIBLE, HIGH-QUALITY and sustainable healthcare system is a top priority for British Columbians, and it is for us, too.

British Columbians should have a healthcare system that is there to meet their evolving needs. David Eby and our government are making record-setting investments in recruiting and training more healthcare workers, and making sure that we’re supporting people where they need it most.

As our population continues to grow and age, we know that we need to train and retain more healthcare workers to meet the demand. Over the past five years, B.C. has welcomed more than 38,000 new workers to the public healthcare system and is actively working to grow the workforce further. In the last year, we have added over 6,567 new nurses, 768 international medical graduates, 938 newly registered doctors with MSP and over 1,000 new full-time paramedic and emergency responder positions to our healthcare system.

We know from the leader of the Opposition Kevin Falcon’s record that he would cut services in healthcare, and John Rustad has said the BC Conservatives would make billions in cuts to the budget over two years. These would be harmful cuts to our system that British Columbians can’t afford.

That’s why we are investing in services to make long-lasting improvements to ensure British Columbians have access to the high-quality care they need. We’re expanding and building more hospitals, like the newly announced acute care tower at Surrey Memorial which will bring more hospital beds and services south of the Fraser River and the new BC Cancer centre at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

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Other actions we’ve taken include implementing a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio — the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so to protect our healthcare workers. Our government has expanded pharmacists’ scope of practice to treat and prescribe medication for minor illnesses, saving patients and families time that used to be spent at clinics.

In addition to these wider approaches, we are also focusing on meeting the unique healthcare needs of women and gender-diverse people in B.C.

The decision to start a family can be exciting, but it can also come with stress or roadblocks. Shortly before International Women’s Day last Friday, our government announced that it will cover one cycle of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), beginning next year. This will save families an average of $15,000 to $20,000, allowing more people who may be struggling with infertility or facing other challenges, to become parents.

Last year, our province took a big step forward to further gender equity through universal coverage of prescription contraception. Since April 2023, British Columbians no longer need to pay out of pocket to access hormonal or other costly forms of birth control, that can cost up to $420 a year. So far, over 188,000 British Columbians have accessed this coverage. This means more people have greater control over their reproductive and health choices.

Women and gender-diverse people face barriers to accessing quality healthcare, and our government is taking meaningful steps to address these gaps. In addition to IVF coverage, prescription contraception, and medication abortion, we are also training more midwives, and improving access to gender-affirming care for transgender people. Earlier this year, we announced the first at-home self-screening program to detect cervical cancer, which will encourage more people, especially those who face barriers to accessing healthcare, to screen for the human papillomavirus (HPV) and help us eliminate deadly cervical cancer in B.C.

These are a few ways we’re working to strengthen our healthcare system. We will continue to work hard to provide the supports and services that we all need, by training and hiring more healthcare workers and reducing costs for people and families. Our government is here to help ensure that our healthcare system is there for you when you need it.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.