Thursday July 18, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated 11 pm]
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
A few times in the spring, Island Social Trends asked Conservatives of BC Leader John Rustad — on the record — when his party would release some platform ideas. Still at the end of May the party was short on platform details.
He did give some indication of his health care strategy on June 19 in a brief interview.
He said that the private sector can contribute to the success of things like home care.
“We need to figure out how to better deliver those services. There’s a role the private sector can play. But the key is we want it to be universal health care. So I don’t want those who can afford to pay to have better health care than those who can’t afford to pay. It should be a single payer. But I am more than open to the idea of it being delivered by multiple sources,” said Rustad last month about how he envisions BC’s health-care system.
It takes a lot of work to launch a campaign platform issue in any detail. There’s also risk, as in giving away too much too soon.
Getting the big picture right:
“We need to get the big picture right then look at how we transition and change it. It’s going to take time. It can’t be changed overnight. It’s a $38 billion business that you don’t just move on a dime. It’s going to take some time to do some structural changes,” Rustad told Island Social Trends last month about his vision for the health-care system.
Rustad also said in June — in his remarks to the Victoria Chamber of Commerce — that “more stats are needed to bear out the real costs to people”.
“I’m not sure if money is the issue,” says Rustad. “We need to get the right health care model in place before we worry about trying to put more money after something that’s not working.”
Finding more candidates:
Until now the BC Conservatives have been busy shoring up the ranks of their candidate roster ahead of the September 21 launch date for the October 19, 2024 BC provincial election. Currently they have 72 candidates.
Rustad has promised a full slate of 93 come time for official campaigns to begin. In fact, nominations can be accepted by Elections BC right up to September 28, 2024.
First campaign platform piece:
But today July 18 in Vancouver (addressing media from the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver) Rustad revealed the first substantive party platforms focussing on health care.
That’s a good pick for a first platform issue as everyone in BC is impacted in some way or another by the shortage of family doctors (who provide access to the broader health-care system), the difficulties in getting access to timely care at Urgent Primary Care Centres (UPCCs), the long wait times at Emergency Departments (which are inappropriately overburdened with health-care needs that technically aren’t emergencies), and long wait times for elective surgeries.
To the current BC NDP government’s credit, they have put the construction of several hospitals into play (these things take many years to plan, build, equip and staff), have opened numerous UPCCs around the province, and added over 700 net new family doctors across the province in 2023. They have renegotiated a more sensible and fair billing schedule with the Doctors of BC (which is why family doctors are coming back), and they are hiring other health-care professionals wherever they care. In 2023 they began improving the data-tracking within health-care, with some federal funding attached to that.
Up against the success of all this is rapid population growth (e.g. 180,000 more BC residents in 2023) and the challenge of training and recruiting enough health-care professionals (which takes time and resource — not just money but the machinations of setting up facilities and instructors).
Vaccination issue:
In comes Rustad with a plan that touches the heartbeat of people’s frustration. He wants to see more health-care positions filled, but the underbelly of that is that if he led a BC Conservative government that would allow health-care workers to be back on the job without being vaccinated against COVID.
It is presumed that COVID vaccination is a key component of moving BC’s population out and away from the pandemic; COVID continues to circulate and still makes people sick year-round. Getting care in a health-care setting should not unduly expose any patient to COVID, is the baseline that current Health Minister Adrian Dix has been sticking to.
Critique in political circles:
- “John Rustad is sounding like Trump more and more everyday…. Anyone that suggests that he isn’t following that playbook isn’t paying attention.” said BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon in social media today.
- “Today John Rustad announced his plan for the biggest healthcare cut in BC history – $4.1 billion. You can’t do this without firing doctors and nurses and causing wait times to skyrocket. We need to keep hiring doctors and nurses, not fire them,” said Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials, Ravi Parmar, today in social media.
- “With over 700 new family doctors and thousands of new nurses and technicians, we are making a difference. We saw what cuts did last time you were in govt. We can’t risk that,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film, Bob D’Eith, today.
- “BC Conservatives released their health platform today: turn patients into profits. The BC NDP say they’re concerned, but they’ve been corporatizing healthcare for years,” said Sonia Furstenau, BC Green Party Leader, today in social media.
- Premier David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix will be giving a press conference tomorrow.
Putting patients first:
Today’s BC Conservative health care platform is being billed as a ‘patients first’ model.
The news release starts out with a quote from Rustad: “Our system is collapsing. Throwing more money at this problem won’t solve it. We need to start putting Patients First through a new healthcare model” that puts patients “at the forefront of care”.
The proposed reforms aim to expand access, reduce wait times, and support frontline staff while creating a transparent and accountable system. “Our healthcare system is in crisis, and it’s time for a change,” Rustad stated.
“British Columbians deserve timely access to quality care without the endless waits and bureaucratic red tape. Our plan puts patients first, ensuring they receive the care they need when they need it.”
Here are the details:
Key Components of the Patients First Plan
(Conservative Party of BC – July 18, 2024):
1. The New ‘Patients First’ Healthcare Model
We spend over 11% of our GDP on healthcare — more than 27 comparable other countries. Yet among OECD countries, we are 25th of 26 in acute care beds/1000 population, 26th of 28 in MDs, 14th of 24 in nurses and 21st of 24 in MRI scanners.
Our Healthcare model no longer works, especially when compared to countless other countries in the world, particularly European countries.
- The New ‘Patients First’ Model: Universal healthcare for everyone under a single-payer system that delivers care through both public and non-governmental facilities.
2. Expanding Access to Care and Ending Long Wait Times
- Patients First: Wait Time Guarantee: Implement a Patient-Based Funding Model, giving patients the choice to access care sooner.
- Direct Funding to the Front-Lines: Germany has twice the population of Canada, yet we have 10 times as many health administrators. We will reduce red tape and direct funding to patients delivered by the front lines where it matters most. This includes Increasing hiring of nurses, doctors, specialists, and other healthcare professionals.
3. Stopping ER Closures
- Hire Back Thousands of Health Care Workers: Reinstate healthcare workers who are currently out-of-work due to personal health care decisions.
- Reward Rural & Remote Health Care Staff: Expand programs to incentivize doctors and nurses to work in high-need communities.
4. Protecting and Supporting Front Line Staff
- Zero-Tolerance Policy on Illicit Drug Use in Hospitals: Part of our larger plan to recriminalize hard drugs, we will be increasing security to prevent illicit drug use in emergency rooms and hospitals.
Reduce Administrative Burden: In addition to eliminating excess administration, we will Implement modern tools and technologies to allow healthcare providers more time with patients
- Repeal the Health Professions and Occupations Act (Bill C-36): Remove ideology and political control imposed by the NDP.
5. Creating a Modern, Transparent, and Accountable BC Healthcare System
- Transparent Reporting on Health Care Data & Patient Outcomes: Establish a mandate for transparent data in the efficacies of the healthcare system.
- Health Services Performance Review: Greater reporting on administrative cost, savings and services. These include government and non-government delivered services.
- Update & Modernize Healthcare Technology: Implement new technologies such as telehealth and digital diagnostic tools to reduce wait times and improve care.
“CIHI data shows that wait times for priority surgery procedures have worsened over the past decade under the current government and over 180 ER closures have been reported throughout BC in 2024 alone,” Rustad continued. “This is simply unacceptable. British Columbians deserve better. We must act now to stop this trend and ensure our emergency rooms remain open and accessible to everyone”.
Rustad then decried the state of working conditions for BC healthcare workers, “we have a situation where 71% percent of BC nurses report feeling unsafe in their working environment. This is driving valuable staff away from the profession. We need to protect and support our front-line staff to retain and attract healthcare professionals.”
“Our healthcare professionals are overworked, and our patients are underserved,” Rustad concluded. “By putting patients first and supporting our frontline workers, we can build a healthcare system that is modern, efficient, and truly serves the people of British Columbia. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says that reducing administrative burdens could facilitate 5.5 million more patient visits per year. It’s clear that we need a more transparent and accountable healthcare system that prioritizes patient care over bureaucracy.”
===== RELATED:
- BC election ‘already in the history books’, says Rustad (June 19, 2024)
- Recruiting & retaining health-care workers: next steps in west shore strategy (June 12, 2024)
- BC Conservatives tilting at every day’s issue, still short on policy announcements (May 31, 2024)
- Health Minister Adrian Dix on COVID four years later (March 13, 2024)
- Colwood council explores partnership with private health care companies (January 16, 2024)
- Health Minister Dix gives shout-out to health-care workers (April 18, 2021)