MLA Jackie Tegart
Every British Columbian deserves access to health care, yet for the past seven years, many have struggled to receive it. Clinics are overwhelmed, emergency rooms frequently close, and a severe shortage of family doctors has jeopardized health care accessibility.
The strain on our health system has placed an immense burden on health care workers. These dedicated professionals face daily burnout and stress while struggling to provide quality care in the face of systemic overload. Recently, troubling developments have come to light, exacerbating our concerns.
Two leaked memos from the Northern Health Authority and Island Health revealed serious health and safety issues in B.C. hospitals. Open drug use has led to many health care professionals feeling unsafe, and has led 36 workers to file WorkSafe time-loss claims. Fourteen of these workers were nurses.
To further understand the depth of the challenges facing nurses, my colleague Shirley Bond, the BC United Shadow Minister for Health, and I attended two events in Fraser-Nicola. In Hope, we heard that services have been severely underfunded, and the community has been struggling to provide adequate mental health and addiction support. Despite the population in Hope increasing, the same cannot be said for the staffing levels, with health care staff struggling to keep up with the various demands.
The second was the BC Nurses Union rally in Merritt, where we heard firsthand the mental and physical toll consistent staff shortages are having on health care workers. This comes after the Merritt emergency room was forced to close 20 times in 2023 due to shortages.
Under the former B.C. Liberal government, now BC United, our health care system was world-renowned. However, for the past seven years, the NDP has taken B.C.’s health care from first to worst. British Columbians deserve a government that prioritizes their health and safety.
United, we will fix it.
Jackie Tegart is the BC United MLA for Fraser-Nicola.
