North Coast NDP MLA Gary took some time away from the ferries and education files this week, to do some ruminating on the subject of health care, especially as it was presented in this week’s Liberal budget.
Reminding British Columbian’s that the Premier had spent much of 2007 engaging in a “conversation on health”; he was quite surprised to see so little time and money appropriated to it in Carole Taylor’s financial blue print this week.
The “conversations” were a ten million dollar exercise in fact gathering and public discussion, which if you do the math from Mr. Coons estimates on the length of attention give to health, works out to about 2.5 million a paragraph. Talk it seems doesn’t come cheap.
Coon’s outlined a number of missing ingredients from the health synopsis portion of the budget, including increased assistance for the provinces seniors, a plan to address the shortage of health care professionals in the province and a lack of any direction for those suffering mental health issues or substance abuse addictions.
The overview of his reaction to the budget was found in Thursday’s Daily News.
Coons feeling sick about lack of health spending
MLA slams Budget 2008 for failing to address health care
By Kris Schumache
The Daily News
Thursday, February 21, 2008
In addition to a lack of education provisions in the B.C.'s 2008 budget, North Coast MLA Gary Coons is also wondering why numerous health issues were noticeably absent from Tuesdays announcement.
"After putting everything on hold due to the premier's $10 million 'Conversation on Health', all we get are four paragraphs on health care," said Coons. "There was no mention about improving care for our seniors, and although the throne speech talked about 'new tools and support services' to help home-care givers, not one word was spoken about our seniors and what is necessary to help our elders."
While home support is one of the services that may be potentially covered by the new seniors' savings accounts, Coons says the government already failed on its previous throne speech promise to build 5,000 new beds for seniors. Furthermore, he notes the quality of seniors care is in serious decline, and there is no mention of any progress on the 5,000-bed promise in the speech.
The government is currently studying an Independent Living Savings Account framework that it says would allow citizens up to age 75 to invest a certain portion of their income each year in a tax-sheltered savings account, that can be used for home care support, assisted independent housing and supportive housing options.
"The throne speech talked about a Savings Accounts for Seniors Care," said Coons. "So now they want seniors to save up to get care, meaning seniors will pay more and should expect less."
Also absent from the budget is a real address of the crisis of the shortage of skilled health care workers, said Coons.
While Budget 2008 does indicate funding for 900 training spaces for health care professionals, Coons says the shortfall in Vancouver Coastal Health alone totals more than 1,000 positions, not including the rest of the province.
"The throne speech highlighted 'major new investments in eHealth and expansions to BC NurseLine, including a new specialist referral service,'" said Coons. "I see this as ignoring the critical shortage of professionals, and meaning we can phone a call centre in Houston, Texas. The budget is full of vague ideas about innovation and transformation, but very few specific details that will lead to improved health care for British Columbians."
Coons also noted that the there was no mention of mental health and addictions. Even though the throne speech promised an updated 10-year mental health plan, he said that means little when the province has been promising a mental health plan since 2001.
The government also plans to introduce amendments to the province's Medicare Protection Act that will define "sustainability" as well as protect public funding of health care by including the five principles of the federal Canada Health Act, which Coons says is another piece of legislation that does not sit well with the majority of British Columbians, who, he says, believe citizens need public access to health care.
"I suspect including 'sustainability' indicates the government wants to pile increasing health costs onto individual British Columbians and push to privatization," said Coons.
"The inclusion in this budget of a $300-million transformation fund to fund changes to B.C.'s public health care model is something we all should be concerned with."
Reminding British Columbian’s that the Premier had spent much of 2007 engaging in a “conversation on health”; he was quite surprised to see so little time and money appropriated to it in Carole Taylor’s financial blue print this week.
The “conversations” were a ten million dollar exercise in fact gathering and public discussion, which if you do the math from Mr. Coons estimates on the length of attention give to health, works out to about 2.5 million a paragraph. Talk it seems doesn’t come cheap.
Coon’s outlined a number of missing ingredients from the health synopsis portion of the budget, including increased assistance for the provinces seniors, a plan to address the shortage of health care professionals in the province and a lack of any direction for those suffering mental health issues or substance abuse addictions.
The overview of his reaction to the budget was found in Thursday’s Daily News.
Coons feeling sick about lack of health spending
MLA slams Budget 2008 for failing to address health care
By Kris Schumache
The Daily News
Thursday, February 21, 2008
In addition to a lack of education provisions in the B.C.'s 2008 budget, North Coast MLA Gary Coons is also wondering why numerous health issues were noticeably absent from Tuesdays announcement.
"After putting everything on hold due to the premier's $10 million 'Conversation on Health', all we get are four paragraphs on health care," said Coons. "There was no mention about improving care for our seniors, and although the throne speech talked about 'new tools and support services' to help home-care givers, not one word was spoken about our seniors and what is necessary to help our elders."
While home support is one of the services that may be potentially covered by the new seniors' savings accounts, Coons says the government already failed on its previous throne speech promise to build 5,000 new beds for seniors. Furthermore, he notes the quality of seniors care is in serious decline, and there is no mention of any progress on the 5,000-bed promise in the speech.
The government is currently studying an Independent Living Savings Account framework that it says would allow citizens up to age 75 to invest a certain portion of their income each year in a tax-sheltered savings account, that can be used for home care support, assisted independent housing and supportive housing options.
"The throne speech talked about a Savings Accounts for Seniors Care," said Coons. "So now they want seniors to save up to get care, meaning seniors will pay more and should expect less."
Also absent from the budget is a real address of the crisis of the shortage of skilled health care workers, said Coons.
While Budget 2008 does indicate funding for 900 training spaces for health care professionals, Coons says the shortfall in Vancouver Coastal Health alone totals more than 1,000 positions, not including the rest of the province.
"The throne speech highlighted 'major new investments in eHealth and expansions to BC NurseLine, including a new specialist referral service,'" said Coons. "I see this as ignoring the critical shortage of professionals, and meaning we can phone a call centre in Houston, Texas. The budget is full of vague ideas about innovation and transformation, but very few specific details that will lead to improved health care for British Columbians."
Coons also noted that the there was no mention of mental health and addictions. Even though the throne speech promised an updated 10-year mental health plan, he said that means little when the province has been promising a mental health plan since 2001.
The government also plans to introduce amendments to the province's Medicare Protection Act that will define "sustainability" as well as protect public funding of health care by including the five principles of the federal Canada Health Act, which Coons says is another piece of legislation that does not sit well with the majority of British Columbians, who, he says, believe citizens need public access to health care.
"I suspect including 'sustainability' indicates the government wants to pile increasing health costs onto individual British Columbians and push to privatization," said Coons.
"The inclusion in this budget of a $300-million transformation fund to fund changes to B.C.'s public health care model is something we all should be concerned with."
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