The B.C. government has announced dozens of measures designed to address critical staffing issues in the province’s health-care system, which include expanding the roles of pharmacists and paramedics.
Health Minister Adrian Dix and Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training Anne Kang unveiled the 70-point strategy on Thursday, following months of growing concerns from doctors, nurses and other medical professionals.
Some of the ongoing issues are not unique to B.C., officials said, pointing to a World Health Organization forecast predicting a global shortage of 15 million health-care workers by 2030.
One way the province intends to improve staffing long-term is by adding 128 seats for undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine.
The government is also providing $1.5 million in funding to Simon Fraser University for the creation of a second medical school in the province – a promise first made during the 2020 election campaign, when Dix said the first graduating class was expected begin in 2023.
Officials did not provide an estimated opening date for the school Friday.
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE
To alleviate some of the current pressure on clinics and hospitals, officials said they are “expanding the scope” of some existing health-care professionals. Beginning in spring 2023, pharmacists will be allowed to issue a limited number of prescriptions, including contraception and medications for allergies, indigestion, urinary tract infections and acne – removing the need for those patients to see a doctor in a clinic or hospital.
Officials said those expanded pharmacy services will be intended for people who don’t have a family doctor, either because they never had one or because they’ve lost access to their previous one.
A number of doctors made the decision to retire early during the COVID-19 pandemic, some citing unsustainable working conditions and issues with the province’s billing system. Officials said their talks with Doctors of B.C. to develop a new compensation model for family doctors are ongoing.
In addition, paramedics will be tasked with “providing expanded life support and pain management procedures,” while other first responders will be trained to help prepare patients to eventually be taken away in an ambulance.
It’s unclear whether there will be any increase in pay for those new responsibilities. Officials said only that new training would be provided.
Some of the province’s 70 measures will be focused on retaining existing staff, with health and wellness supports and increased efforts to protect them from violence in the workplace, which were not specified Thursday.
The province is also working to address systemic anti-Indigenous racism in health-care – as flagged during a damning report two years ago – by recruiting Indigenous workers to senior positions and supporting Indigenous students in health programs.
Officials said they are working to recruit new workers from outside the province as well, and helping to ensure internationally trained health professionals can work in their field.
