| New Era Commitment |
Status |
Action |
| Expand training and post-secondary programs to graduate more Care Aides, Licenced Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses. |
Ongoing |
Since 2001, the government has added approximately 2,000 new education spaces for nurses in local colleges, institutes, university colleges and universities throughout the province. More than 700 nurses have been funded to take refresher, qualifying or English as a second language courses. This allows non-practicing Canadian graduates or internationally educated non-practicing BC residents to be eligible to return to nursing. |
| Develop a Rural and Remote Training Program that provides forgivable loans to BC students attending accredited nursing and medical schools who agree to practice in a rural or remote community in BC. |
Done |
The loan forgiveness program was established in August 2001. Loans are forgiven at a rate of 33 per cent per year for each year of service in rural or remote communities. |
| Increase the number of medical school graduates over the next five years. |
Underway |
The medical school at UBC is being expanded and will include new satellite campuses at UNBC and UVic. Medical-school spaces will almost double, to 224 from 128, by 2005. |
| Ensure that BC health care is universal, accessible, portable, comprehensive and publicly administered, consistent with the five principles of the Canada Health Act. |
Ongoing |
Health authorities have established three-year Health Service Plans, updated annually, to reform and renew patient services for each region, along with new province-wide standards for care. |
| Establish provincial health standards that ensure all citizens in every part of the province are entitled to equitable, reliable, high quality health services. |
Done |
Province-wide access standards have been established for emergency, acute care and specialty services. The government was the first administration in this province to implement a system of performance agreements with health authorities, which holds these agencies accountable for the services they deliver and how they are delivered. |
| Develop performance measures that are annually audited and publicly reported for each health standard, to ensure provincial and regional health authorities are accountable for fulfilling their duties to provide the prescribed levels of patient care. |
Done |
Accountability contracts and measures have been established, along with three-year health service plans for each authority. The government has also provided health authorities with three-year funding commitments, updated annually, to enable them to plan and act with certainty. Government is continuing to redesign the health care system so that funding for health authorities is spent efficiently and focused on public health and patient care. |
| Develop a 10-year human resource plan, that properly provides for the training, recruitment and retention of physicians, nurses, specialists and other health care providers in every area of the province, and that addresses critical skills shortages and staffing levels in under-serviced areas. |
Underway |
As a first step, programs have been launched to expand the supply of nurses and doctors. Since September 2001, government has committed $59 million to the nursing strategy, which includes the creation of approximately 2,000 new education spaces for nurses in local colleges, institutes, university colleges and universities throughout the province, and increased the number of nurses licensed to practice in BC by more than 600 since 2001. A total of 45 new spaces for nurse practitioners will be added. Since 2001, government has funded more than 700 nurses to take refresher, qualifying, or English as a second language courses. This allows non-practicing Canadian graduates or internationally educated non-practicing BC residents to be eligible to return to nursing.
A $134 million expansion of the University of British Columbia's medical school facilities almost doubles the number of spaces, and provides training through satellite centres in Victoria and Prince George — a first in BC. This will provide opportunities for medical students to train and establish practices in their home regions, and help alleviate shortages of doctors throughout the province. Currently, we graduate 128 doctors per year. We will increase the number of medical school spaces by 2005, and will graduate 224 new doctors each year by 2009.
Since July 2003, the Ministry of Health Services has approved funding for 32 new postgraduate entry-level positions — the beginning of the stepped expansion to the postgraduate (residency) medical education program. Over the next decade residencies will expand to keep pace with the MD undergraduate program expansion. In 2004/05, the Ministry of Health Services committed $54.4 million in operating funding for the Postgraduate Medical Education Program, up from $47.6 million in 2003/04. The ministry also committed $27.6 million in capital funding for increased academic space in teaching hospitals and affiliated regional centres. |
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| Develop a Hospital Facilities Plan that identifies each health region's key capital requirements and funding priorities. |
Ongoing |
The Ministry of Health Services is working with health authorities to develop and implement multi-year capital plans that address immediate and long-term needs in the hospital sector through service redesign and modernizing facilities. |
| Develop an Intermediate and Long-Term Care Facilities Plan, that addresses the needs of our aging population and frees up existing acute care beds. |
Underway |
Health authorities are modernizing home and community care to provide more care options for seniors. The facilities plan will ensure seniors have a range of housing and care services, depending on their needs and abilities. |
| Develop a Medical Machinery and Equipment Plan that ensures existing medical diagnostic and care equipment is adequately staffed, fully utilized and properly maintained, and that provides for future investments in new equipment and technologies. |
Ongoing |
The Ministry of Health Services is working with health authorities to develop and implement multi-year capital plans that promote a more strategic approach to maintaining and updating health care system equipment. To assist health authorities in meeting their identified needs, $200.1 million in federal funding from the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal is being allocated over three years for investment in diagnostic and medical equipment and training of specialized staff. The ministry has established a committee to advise on new technologies and priorities for improving health care delivery. |
| Develop a comprehensive Technology Plan to assist health care professionals in delivering faster, more effective treatment to patients through new information technology and telemedicine. |
Underway |
The province is funding $15 million in tele-health programs across BC, including a new filmless medical imaging system launched in April 2003. Tele-health programs provide emergency and trauma, pediatric, maternity and mental health services for 30 communities. BC's CIO Council has developed a strategic plan on the main goals and priorities to support the health system and health service delivery, as well as a tactical plan. The ministry and its partners are also developing a strategic plan on the Electronic Health Record, as part of a comprehensive technology plan to assist health professionals and improve patient care across the province. |
| Establish a Rural and Remote Health Initiative to ensure all families get the care they need, where they live, when they need it. |
Underway |
The province has funded $58.5 million in incentives and benefits to attract doctors to rural practices. It established a rural specialist locum program to ensure continuous coverage during the recruitment process and introduced the first Interprofessional Rural Program in Canada to place students from various health professions in rural areas for training. |
| Introduce a Rural and Remote Training Support program that provides financial and travel assistance to health care providers who want to update or upgrade their skills and training. |
Underway |
The government's Nursing Strategy provided more than 6,000 nurses with continuing and specialty training in much-needed nursing specialties, and the BC Ambulance Service has received $30 million for new measures aimed at strengthening ambulance service across the province. |
| Maintain this year's overall $9.3 billion budget for health. |
Done |
In addition to maintaining funding, spending has increased. |
| Increase future health care funding as economic growth increases government revenues. |
Done |
In fact, health funding now accounts for 43 per cent of all government spending. Spending on health in British Columbia has increased $2 billion since 2001/02. |
| Work with front-line health care professionals to act on their ideas for maximizing the value to patients of every health dollar spent. |
Ongoing |
The Dialogue on Health in October 2001 brought together 140 professionals, administrators and other experts. The Legislature's Select Standing Committee on Health held hearings in 10 communities and received 700 submissions for its December 2001 report on health-care renewal. |
| Provide health regions and hospitals with 3-year rolling funding commitments (updated annually), to enable them to plan and act with certainty. |
Done |
Three-year rolling funding commitments, updated annually, were first provided with Budget 2002. |
| Fully fund and implement the $125 million mental health initiative. |
Done |
The government is implementing a $263 million mental health commitment, including the $125 million mental health plan and $138 million for facilities. |
| Fund health regions at a level necessary to meet the needs of the people who live there, regardless of where a service is provided. |
Done |
Funding for BC's six health authorities now exceeds $6.1 billion. |
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| Replace obsolete hospital equipment and ambulance equipment and ensure all equipment is fully utilized and properly maintained. |
Ongoing |
Health authorities are working to replace obsolete hospital equipment. This includes the development of capital plans and identifying priorities for allocating $200.1 million over three years in federal funding from the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal. In 2003/04, the British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS) continued to upgrade its equipment, purchasing $1 million of specialized telecommunications equipment, and $1 million on medical equipment, including stretchers, IV pumps, vital signs monitors, and pulmonetic systems. In 2002/03, defibrillators were installed on all 450 BC ambulances. |
| Fulfill BC's obligations under the Canada Health Act to properly fund and provide access to all medically necessary services. |
Ongoing |
Annual spending on health in British Columbia has increased $2 billion since 2001/02 and will increase an additional $1 billion by 2006/07. |
| Focus funding on patient care, by reducing waste in the system and eliminating administrative duplication and costs from provincial government mismanagement. |
Done |
The number of health authorities has been reduced from 52 to six, to achieve greater efficiency. Health authorities are on target to achieve administrative savings of seven per cent — a total reduction of $97.1 million by end of 2004/05. Since 2001/02, ministry administrative FTEs have been reduced by 45 per cent, so financial resources can be redirected to front line services. |
| Provide assistance and opportunities to help nurses develop the specialized skills needed in intensive care units, emergency rooms and operating rooms. |
Ongoing |
The government's $59 million nursing strategy has helped BC gain 614 nurses since 2001. It has also provided more than 6,000 nurses with continuing and specialty training in critical and emergency care, and helped nurses on workers' compensation and long-term disability to return to work. |
| Increase training spaces and recruitment of foreign-trained nurses and physicians. |
Ongoing |
Since 2001, we have funded more than 700 nurses to take refresher, qualifying or English as a second language courses. This allows non-practicing Canadian graduates or internationally educated non-practicing BC residents to be eligible to return to nursing. Also, government is working with Health Canada to expedite international medical graduate assessment and with other partners to improve the provision of placements. |
| Launch a massive recruitment drive to bring non-practicing RNs and LPNs back into our health care system. |
Underway |
The government's nursing strategy helped BC gain 614 nurses since 2001. Since 2001, we have funded more than 700 nurses to take refresher, qualifying or English as a second language courses. This allows non-practicing Canadian graduates or internationally educated non-practicing BC residents to be eligible to return to nursing. |
| Increase locum support to relieve pressure and reduce workloads, to enhance health care professionals' quality of life. |
Done |
Funding for the general practitioner rural locum program increased by 50 per cent, to $1.85 million in 2003/04 from $1.25 million in 2001/02. |
| Increase the number of residency positions in BC's hospitals in the next five years. |
Ongoing |
Government has introduced a $134 million medical school expansion. It will almost double the number of BC medical school spaces, to 224 from 128, by 2005, and will open up new residency positions in BC hospitals outside the Lower Mainland. Since July 2003, the Ministry of Health Services has approved funding for 32 new postgraduate entry-level positions — the beginning of the stepped expansion to the postgraduate (residency) medical education program. Over the next decade, residencies will expand to keep pace with the MD undergraduate program expansion. In 2004/05, the Ministry of Health Services committed $54.4 million in operating funding for the Postgraduate Medical Education Program, up from $47.6 million in 2003/04. The ministry also committed $27.6 million in capital funding for increased academic space in teaching hospitals and affiliated regional centres. |
| Give ambulance attendants better access to training and better life-support and communications equipment needed to capitalize on those skills. |
Done |
$30 million was allocated in May 2002 for ambulance services, including funding to upgrade 1,300 rural paramedics to Paramedic 1 level. Defibrillators are now in use on all 450 BC ambulances — $780,000 was spent in 2001-02, plus $350,000 last year. |
| Ensure that appointees to regional health boards are representative of their communities' needs and accountable for their performance in meeting provincial health standards. |
Done |
Six new health authorities have been established, new boards appointed and new Performance Agreements and measures established. Through BC's Board Resourcing and Development Office, board member appointments are carefully considered to ensure necessary skills for the effective management and delivery of health care. This is the first administration in this province to implement a system of performance agreements with health authorities, which holds these bodies accountable for the services they deliver and how they are delivered. |
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| Pressure the federal government to restore all of the health care funding withdrawn through budget cuts. |
Ongoing |
As a result of the First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal, in February 2003, the federal government agreed to provide $20 billion in new funding for patient care in Canada over five years, with an extra $2 billion if there was a federal surplus in 2003/04. BC's share of the federal funding in 2004/05, including the share of the $2 billion supplement, is $529 million ($328 million plus $131 million supplement plus $70 million for equipment). There will also be an additional $17 million from the Public Health and Immunization Trust. This money will be directly invested to improve further public health and patient care. |
| Work with non-profit societies to build and operate an additional 5,000 new intermediate and long-term care beds by 2006. |
Underway |
The province is developing new residential care beds, supportive housing and assisted living spaces to ensure seniors and people with disabilities have a range of housing and care options. As a first step, Independent Living BC was established in May 2002 to develop 3,500 independent living units with support services across the province. |
| Provide expanded home care and palliative care services to assist chronically and terminally ill patients with supportive home environments, as an option to institutional care. |
Ongoing |
The province is finalizing an end-of-life care strategy as the first step toward developing a health system that provides compassionate, competent and respectful care. In addition, an expanded palliative care drug benefits program enables British Columbians to receive care in the comfort of their home. The number of hospice beds has nearly doubled since 2001, and more beds are in planning. |
| Build a unified, universal, and cost-effective health services information network that will improve care and reduce long-term costs. |
Ongoing |
The province is working with the health sector and Canada Health Infoway to create a provincial Electronic Health Record Framework that will provide integrated, higher-quality health care with greater efficiencies. The new Personal Information Protection Act, passed in October 2003, ensures that adequate privacy and security provisions are in place. |
| Develop a rural travel assistance program, to reduce rural patients' transportation and lodging costs to receive treatment that is not locally available. |
Underway |
A new $5-million Rural Travel Assistance Program is being developed and will assist patients who have to travel outside of their region to receive a higher level of care. |
| Ensure that patients living at home in palliative or long-term care are entitled to the same pharmaceutical benefits as they would have if they were in a hospital. |
Underway |
The province is reviewing the palliative care benefits program to ensure it provides terminally ill patients in their homes and residential care facilities with medication, medical supplies and equipment at no charge. |
| Give all citizens better access to their medical records and treatment histories, and enhanced information privacy rights. |
Ongoing |
The province is working with the health sector and Canada Health Infoway to create a provincial Electronic Health Record Framework that will provide integrated, higher-quality health care with greater efficiencies. The new Personal Information Protection Act, passed in October 2003, ensures that adequate privacy and security provisions are in place. |
| Support community services volunteers and repeal the NDP legislation that allowed government to expropriate community health facilities without compensation. |
Done |
The section of the Health Authorities Act allowing assets to be seized without compensation was repealed in August 2001. |
| Protect current funding and existing levels of access to abortion services throughout the province, as a matter of confidence in government. |
Done |
Funding and access to abortion services has been maintained. |
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| Intensify efforts to promote wellness and preventative care through better education, dietary habits and physical activity. |
Ongoing |
Under its Picture of Health vision, the province has launched a wellness and prevention initiative that includes Action Schools! BC, introduced to address elementary students' physical activity levels and lifestyles. The province also has formed the Provincial Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance to strengthen chronic disease support and prevention. Through the NurseLine and other components of the BC HealthGuide, British Columbians have 24/7 access to health-care information. |
| Double the Physical Fitness and Amateur Sports Fund to $44 million, to promote physical fitness and participation in amateur sport. |
Done |
Funding has been increased to double the fund over four years. |
| Enhance preventative drug and alcohol efforts, such as addiction counselling for new mothers and the reduction of fetal alcohol syndrome. |
Ongoing |
The Premier released Canada's most comprehensive fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) prevention strategy in September 2003. |
| Work to minimize interjurisdictional overlaps that are adding confusion and costs to health care delivery. |
Done |
The number of health authorities has been reduced to six from 52, to provide greater efficiency and co-ordination within regions. |
| Work with doctors, pharmacists and others to find a cost-effective alternative to reference-based pricing. |
Done |
The consultation panel review of the Reference Drug Program (RDP) was completed in 2002, and a report with recommendations was issued. Further, the government asked the ministry to conduct a broad review of PharmaCare to create a drug program that is sustainable while continuing to put patients first in providing access to important classes of drugs. It also included improved information sharing among physicians, pharmacists and the public to support decision making, and consultation with health care providers and other stakeholders. This review began in September 2003, and the first phase has been completed. |
| Provide better home support and home care services. |
Ongoing |
Health authorities are focusing their resources on direct patient care needs to enable people with high care needs to live in their homes as long as possible. |
