Your monthly update from the BC Health Coalition

Details: Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00; Written by editor

State of BC Health r1

Your August 2023 monthly update from the
BC Health Coalition

UPDATE

The Privatization of our Healthcare System Will Lead to Worse Care and Longer Waits

The BC Health Coalition is extremely concerned that the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is embarking on a national consultation and cross-country townhall series that promote the tired debate of public-private health care. We're joining with allies across the country to push back and remind both the CMA and the public that the evidence is conclusive on this topic and the "debate" was settled in the 880-page Cambie ruling: private pay is not going to improve access, but lead to worse care and longer waits.

We're thankful to Canadian Doctors for Medicare for being an evidence-based voice within the medical profession. Take a look at some of their recent work:

[Op-ed] The answer is clear: we... can't afford privatized health care, by Danyaal Raza and Hasan Sheikh
[Video] Canadian Doctor Destroys the Case for Private-Pay Health Care, 7 minute presentation by Hasan Sheikh
[Blog] Myth: "Privatization" can help everyone access health care, a great blog post that tackles the main myths of privatization

ACTION

Help BC Hear Better

A large and growing proportion of British Columbians have hearing loss. Over three-quarters of seniors have hearing loss in both ears. Left untreated, hearing loss can also adversely impact the health and quality of life of our population, especially seniors. A significant factor contributing to lack of hearing aid usage is the high cost of hearing aids. British Columbia lags behind other provinces and territories when it comes to consistent hearing health coverage. The Help BC Hear Better Group, a passionate team of healthcare professionals, researchers, and people with hearing loss, launched a petition asking the BC Legislative Assembly to invest in a Hearing Health Program for British Columbia. Sign the petition today.

REPORT

Reimagining Long-term Care Webinar Series by Health Excellence Canada

Healthcare Excellence Canada is hosting an online webinar series, Reimagining Long-term Care, that brings people together to share with and learn from others facing similar challenges and opportunities in long-term care. They explore topics and initiatives related to people in the workforce and person-centred care, with the aim of fostering a more resilient long-term care sector. Sign up for the September 12th, 2023 session from 10:00-11:00 am Pacific Time.

Member Spotlight

BC Rural Health Network

The BC Rural Health Network (BCRHN) consists of healthcare advocacy organizations working in cooperation with healthcare policymakers. The Network works to promote and support a health services system that improves and sustains the health and well-being of residents of rural communities across British Columbia.

In partnership with the UBC Centre for Rural Health Research, the BC Rural Health Network has launched a new study collecting the perspectives of rural British Columbians called “Closing the Gap". This study aims to examine the role of rural communities in policy decisions, identify disconnects and develop strategies for “more effective engagement.”

“We’re in a health-care crisis and I think that’s been acknowledged by everybody from the minister on down, but really rural British Columbia has been in a health-care crisis for a couple of decades,” Paul Adam, executive director of the BC Rural Health Network, told Global News.

Participate in the "Close the Gap" survey if you are a rural resident interested in improving community engagement in rural health care planning. Your perspective as a rural resident is essential and will contribute to more equitable healthcare policies and practices across BC's diverse communities.

Public Health News, Updates & Resources

Mixed performance: B.C. leads and lags national averages in landmark health-care analysis. The Canadian Institute for Health Information released an inaugural report analyzing and comparing topics including healthcare access and operational issues like staffing. BCHC's Coordinator, Usman Mushtaq, discussed the need for political action using this data to improve our public healthcare system.

Steve Morgan: National pharmacare should replace B.C.’s 'UnFair' PharmaCare program. Many British Columbians are making difficult sacrifices, like foregoing budget for food and heat, to fill prescriptions. And many — more than in any other province, in fact — simply do not fill the prescriptions they need because they cannot afford the cost.

Canadians deserve better than fake Pharmacare. To sustainably save our health-care system we need a universal, single-payer approach to Pharmacare, not a fill-the-gaps approach.

B.C. promises $3M to expand program that partners cops with health-care providers. Stacy Ashton, executive director of the Crisis Centre of B.C., says while programs like this have their place, they're not the preferred response for the general population experiencing a mental health crisis.

Strengthening community connections: the future of public health is at the neighbourhood scale. Community-led action at the neighbourhood scale has been vital to address complex health inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The report outlines four key actions by which public health in Canada can more fully incorporate and support the capacity of communities to take more control over the conditions for their own health and wellbeing.

Donate now

Donations by cheque can be made out to BC Health Coalition and mailed to BC Health Coalition 302-3102 Main Street Vancouver BC V5T 3G7. Or you can give monthly by cheque.

British Columbia Health Coalition
3102 Main St, 302, Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, BC V5T 3G7, Canada
This email was sent to s43. To stop receiving emails, Unsubscribe.

Created by Campaign Gears