SOUND OFF: Patients are dying – so where is the government?

Aug 18, 2022 | 11:50 AM

DAY AFTER DAY, we’re hearing about tragedies and struggles unfolding in our healthcare system.

First, many people lost the assurance of a family doctor, so those without one turned to walk-in clinics. Then the walk-in clinics became overwhelmed, forcing people to endure excruciatingly long waits — if they could get in at all. Then, many walk-ins started shutting down, only to be replaced by the NDP’s Urgent and Primary Care Clinics (UPCCs) which are also nearly impossible to access. With all of these options exhausted, people have turned to hospital emergency rooms — perhaps feeling guilty for doing so, but also feeling like there was no place left to turn.

Tragically, we’re hearing more stories of people dying in hospital waiting rooms while seeking care. In July, a woman died at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver after lying on a stretcher for at least two days in the ER waiting room. And nearly a year ago, right here in Kamloops, a woman passed away while waiting for care at Royal Inland Hospital’s emergency room. British Columbians are still waiting for the “full and comprehensive review” of that local incident, as promised by Health Minister Adrian Dix at the time.

And today? Now we can’t even be sure that an ambulance will show up in our most dire moments of need, and through no fault of their own. This past week, a man in Ashcroft died because there was no local ambulance available in his time of medical distress. It happened just a month prior to a woman in that same community. And in early August, a critically injured man died in Surrey after waiting nearly half an hour for an ambulance.

The worst part is that not only are British Columbians waiting and waiting to access medical care in their communities — if their local ERs are even open, given the frequency of temporary closures due to staff shortages — but they continue to wait and wait for Minister Dix and the NDP government to do something about the situation.

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There are many plausible excuses, but none of them hold water. The NDP may be busy with their internal leadership race; with the byelection in Surrey South that they dragged their feet to call; or with their summer vacations and the BBQ circuit — but these are terrible reasons to delay action. People are dying.

Our caucus has even made it easy for them. We proposed a 30-day primary care plan, and since we didn’t hear anything from them after releasing it, we followed it up with some additional solutions — including new initiatives for internationally-trained physicians. Our plan would drastically increase the number of residencies available for international medical graduates (IMGs) from 56 to 150 with the goal of continued expansion; reduce barriers for internationally-trained physicians who have passed the initial Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam (MCCQE); and expand the capacity of the Practice-Ready Assessment (PRA-BC) program for internationally-trained doctors.

Additionally, our strategy would expand doctor training spaces at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Medical School from 288 to 400, where currently there have been zero seats added under the two-term NDP government. We would also fulfill the NDP’s broken promise to create a second medical school at Simon Fraser University (SFU).

We propose reducing the administrative and operating cost burden on doctors; addressing the rising business costs they face; simplifying the fee schedule; and providing compensation for unpaid work and indirect care. Finally, we would support more collaborative team-based care and consult with physicians, pharmacists and stakeholders on expanding the scope of practice for pharmacists and allowing them to assess and prescribe medications for minor ailments within a team-based care model.

Most importantly, we need the NDP to come through with the health human resources plan that they have been promising for years now.

Our proposed solutions didn’t come out of nowhere. We’ve spent months sitting down with and listening to doctors, nurses, paramedics and stakeholders, and considering how we might improve the system to produce better outcomes for all. We need patients to feel secure that they can access medical support when they need it, but we also need to relieve the many burdens and the stress and burnout our healthcare workers are feeling right now. They are doing their very best and, just like patients, deserve better from this government.

It’s time for the NDP to get to work — before more British Columbians die at home or in hospital waiting rooms waiting for the help they so desperately need.

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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.

by Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone

SOUND OFF: Patients are dying – so where is the government?

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