Nurses are concerned "green" budget signals more red lights for patients
While welcoming increased health spending and commitment to nursing education, the boost to health authorities falls well short of what's needed to make up for past underfunding
Nurses are concerned today's "green" provincial budget means more red lights for patients seeking public health care in BC, because increased allocations to health authorities fall far short of what's needed to make up for past shortfalls.
"I'm afraid this budget holds little hope for the additional acute and long term beds desperately needed to relieve severe hospital overcrowding that is forcing nurses to care for patients in alcoves and hallways," says Debra McPherson, president of the BC Nurses' Union. "The funding will not allow for significant expansion of mental health services, home support and other supports for seniors, or funding for the 24-hour health centres that were promised in the Throne Speech to take the load off emergency wards.
McPherson welcomes the government's continued commitment to increased nursing education. But she regrets the only "health innovation" plan featured involves continued experimentation with a new funding model that would put a dollar sign on patients and force hospitals to compete with each other and private clinics for funding and patients with no additional resources.
While the budget projects increases to health authorities averaging six per cent a year, the boost provides little more than three per cent to cover inflation, population growth and new programs, beyond negotiated wage increases. Previous underfunding forced health authorities to close hundreds of acute and long term care beds 2002-4.
"The small increase poses serious problems for the health authorities' effort to attract and retain nurses and other health care staff needed to provide care to patients. Forcing nurses to practice hallway medicine, not only in emergency wards but in regular hospital units, discourages nurses from staying in their practice because they cannot provide the quality of care they were educated to give."
McPherson is also concerned about the impact of the new carbon tax on community-based nurses who are required to use their own vehicles to visit clients and provide care. They are not compensated for the full cost of operating and maintaining their vehicles.
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