MLA CANDIDATE ISSUE #3 – Addressing challenges in the healthcare sector

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The BC Conservatives are pledging a $50-million emergency fund, while also working to bring in and train more doctors in British Columbia. 

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“Part of our platform is that we are going to be continuing to hire more doctors,” said Ward Stamer, Kamloops-North Thompson. “We are going to be hiring more healthcare professionals. We are also going to make sure we are going to be able to streamline a lot of the services right now. Our waitlists are way too long – even the premier says the waitlists are way too long. Well yes they are, but what has he done about it? Not a whole lot. That is why we want to make sure we recognize the situation, make sure we are able to add the additional resources where [they’re] needed and improve the access to health care within our province and, specifically, within this region.”

“[There are] a lot of exciting things we are proposing to do. There is no doubt health care is in crisis, not just with doctors but with medical professionals by in large,” added Peter Milobar, Kamloops Centre. “Really, about repatriating those people who have moved away from B.C. to get their medical training elsewhere, and finding ways to streamline and get them into the system quickly, so they can get back home to where their family supports are, where they want to build their careers. But (we’ll) also work aggressively on that international recruitment side to really bring down some of those barriers of apprehension around the training people may have.”

The NDP are campaigning on fast-tracking international healthcare grads, saying they are going to protect B.C. from privatization in the sector. 

“That’s a big challenge. I’m hearing that a lot on the doorstep as well. The best way to get the lack of supply is to increase the supply,” said Mike Wisla, Kamloops Centre. “We’ve created spaces in all of our educational institutions for doctors, for nurses, for healthcare professionals. We have a new medical school coming on and we have already matched almost 1-million people with doctors. If we keep that working, we’ve started going forward. Filling those spaces.”

The BC Greens are looking to increase funding to ensure safe nurse-to-patient ratios while centralizing referrals for surgeries across the province, all while creating new healthcare centres in every riding.

“BC Greens have a plan to have community-based health centres in every region. That is wrap-around service for every individual, so it includes GP, physio, mental health services all in one place,” said Annelise Beach, Kamloops Centre. “We also want to look at consolidating the health authorities, while keeping the First Nations Health Authority to address systemic racism.”

OneBC wants to bring in private healthcare options alongside the current public model, while shifting administration spending to frontline employees.

“Dallas (Brodie) wants to bring in more doctors, there is no doubt about that. She definitely wants to get the health system back on track. And also, OneBC would be willing to look at private clinics to help with the overflow in the emergency rooms,” said Rocky McAfee, Kamloops Centre.

Election day is Saturday (Oct. 24) with polls open 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

NDP candidate for Kamloops-North-Thompson Kory Clark was not available. OneBC Kamloops North-Thompson candidate Deborah Friesen did not wish to be interviewed.