Nurses decry cuts considered at Vancouver Coastal
In tough economic times, health authorities should be expanding healthcare services, because people need them more than ever
Nurses are decrying the cuts to healthcare services being contemplated by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
"At a time of difficult economic circumstances for British Columbians, health authorities should be expanding health care services because people need them more than ever," says Len Rose, Executive Councillor for the BC Nurses' Union. "Instead, because the province is refusing to cover health authority deficits, Vancouver Coastal is preparing to implement cuts that will devastate services for patients.
"Now is not the time to be cutting back on medically-necessary surgeries, closing operating rooms, reducing hospital beds and displacing staff. Patients and nurses need stability in healthcare, not more dislocation and upheaval. Health authorities should be expanding the availability of primary healthcare services, not cutting back acute care."
The proposed cuts are outlined in a VCHA document leaked to NDP health critic Adrian Dix. They're the result of an order from the health minister last month that health authorities must do more with less. Serious cutbacks are being implemented in health regions around the province.
"Creating instability in healthcare by displacing the specialized OR nurses they've spent millions of dollars recruiting and educating will make staffing problems even worse," Rose says.
He is concerned widespread surgery cancellations undermine public healthcare by increasing the pressure for more private for-profit healthcare.
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