health care

Problems plaguing health-care system across B.C. and the North

Oct 26, 2022 | 4:56 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The healthcare system in B.C. is being pushed to the brink, with continuing problems ranging from staff shortages, toxic work environments and rural community hospitals having to turn patients away.

On Tuesday, Minister of Health, Adrian Dix announced that 320 protection services officers will be hired to protect health-care facilities all across the province. The new measure is reigniting a conversation on what needs to be done to help relieve the stress being put on the system and its workers in urban and rural communities alike.

Joan Atkinson, mayor of Mackenzie that the situation there is not as bad as some communities, but more needs to be done. She cited problems with ambulance services and nurse shortages.

Shirley Bond, the official opposition critic for health says that while hiring protection services officers is a good step, more drastic action needs to be taken. She noted that the government has to take action quickly so that more problems can be averted, because both health-care workers and patients are at risk if the situation does not improve.

In a survey conducted by the Blu Ivy Group, co-founder Stacy Parker told CKPG that out 359 health-care workers surveyed, 75% of nurses said that they are considering leaving the profession within the next year. What is even more concerning is that the study found that 44% of Canadian healthcare workers agreed that their workplace “feels highly toxic.”

CKPG News also spoke to Victoria Schmid, CEO of Switch BC, who says that yesterday’s announcement will help health-care workers better protect themselves in toxic situations, and that the initial reaction from health-care workers has been positive.

Critics point out that the provincial government and Premier-Designate David Eby have not addressed any additional measures to grapple with the issues facing B.C’s health care system.