BC government's cuts to Fraser Health Authority budget will hurt seniors and vulnerable the most
Cuts to care are short-sighted and will increase crowding and congestion in hospitals
Nurses are extremely concerned that FHA program cuts will impact our most vulnerable citizens and worsen conditions in our hospitals. Health Authorities throughout BC are being forced to cut programs and services because the province refuses to provide the required funding. This despite election promises that healthcare would be protected.
"Chopping programs for isolated seniors, reducing home support and eliminating spaces for adult daycare clients will only result in more congestion in our hospitals," said Janice Buchanan BCNU's Regional Co-Chair for the South Fraser Valley area.
"When people are supported in the community and in their homes it saves money in the long run and keeps the frail elderly and mental health patients out of our very busy acute care facilities. It just doesn't make sense to cut these kinds of support services, especially when the stress of tough economic times is impacting families already," said Buchanan.
Linda Pipe, BCNU's Regional Chair for the Fraser Valley has concerns for her community and the impact that the government imposed budget reductions will have. "Some of the residential care beds that received temporary funding will now have to close and yet we know there are unfunded beds sitting empty. We already know that the numbers of beds that are currently being funded are at 98-100% capacity…there's no wriggle room. More seniors will end up waiting for care and they'll end up in areas where they get inappropriate care, like in ERs.
"There's so much uncertainty about services we might lose in our communities and we haven't received any assurances that Mission's ER or Langley Pediatrics aren't still at risk. Nurses are worried and I'm worried we'll lose nurses. There are already 250-300 vacancies in the Health Authority," said Pipe.
Some of the cuts that nurses have confirmed for Fraser Health Authority are:
- 25% of the spaces for clients to adult daycare program will be eliminated
- 30 temporary residential care beds will close
- After hours mental health services will be cut
- The number of clients receiving government funded home support services will be reduced
Since the new Health Minister Kevin Falcon announced that the provincial government would not cover the $360 million dollar shortfall in Health Authority budgets, BC's nurses have been calling on the public to contact their MLAs before the fall budget. "People need to remind the government that the Fraser Health Authority is the fastest growing area in B.C. We all need to speak out and say we care about these services and for the vulnerable people who will suffer if these cuts go through," said Buchanan. |
