Minister of Health Adrian Dix at a press conference announcing new staffing model, Tues. April 4. Image Credit: Province of BC

By Adam Berls

healthcare funding

Province announces new staffing model for nurses across BC

Apr 4, 2023 | 3:24 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — A major announcement for nurses and health care in B.C. was disclosed today, with the provincial government announcing that they, the BC Nurses’ Union and the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) “have achieved a new staffing model and more supports for nurses to strengthen B.C.’s health-care system and patient care.”

The tentative agreement is built around 3 components.

“The first is nurses workload standards. The second are ongoing funding to support nurses. And the third is one time funding with respect to nursing workload standards. We will be implementing in British Columbia and we will be the first in Canada to do so. Nurse to patient ratios in our public health care system.” – Adrian Dix, B.C. Minister of Health

The government says that the implementation of a new nurse to patient care model, will be the first of its kind in Canada and will allow nurses to spend more time with patients and will allow for more person-focused services. With the new nurse to patient ratios, the province will be investing $750 million dollars over three years as well as investing ongoing funding of $108.6 million to support career development of nurses, by establishing new clinical mentorship positions as well as retention incentives.

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The province will also provide $100 million in one time funding to support nurses in their well being and day to day operations. Aman Grewal, President of the B.C. Nurses Union hopes that this new model may bring back nurses to B.C. who have either left the profession or the province.

Premier David Eby says that this tentative agreement shows that the government and all British Columbians have the backs of nurses and also said that switching to a private system of healthcare will not solve any of the problems that the healthcare system in BC faces.

“It will pull medical professionals out of the public health care system. It only changes who’s at the front of the line. We have to address the systemic issues, which is what this tentative agreement is all about. Abandoning public health care is not our approach, and it never will be. Supporting people who work in this health care system absolutely will be.” – David Eby, Premier of British Columbia

This agreement is tentative, and does still need to be ratified by the B.C. Nurses Union, and the ratification process is expected to be at the end of April and it will still be some time before we can see this agreement implemented into the system.