Open Letter to the Parliamentary Secretary of Rural Health

Attn: Jennifer Rice

Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health

Ministry of Health

Via: email

Re: Physician Assistants

Dear Ms. Rice,

We are writing on behalf of the BC Rural Health Network and the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants to request clarity from the government on the licensing of Physician Assistants (PAs) to practice in British Columbia.

The rural communities in our province have been hit hard by emergency room closures, transfers, and inequitable access to healthcare, and we believe deploying PAs could help address these issues. We are confused by the government’s messaging on this issue and urge you to use your role as Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health to push for immediate action.

The BC Rural Health Network has faced criticism for being partisan in its support of the creation of the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health position. However, we want to clarify that our support for this position is not based on partisan politics, but rather on the importance of ensuring that the voices of rural communities are heard within the Ministry of Health, regardless of who is in power. Our network will both utilize and hold the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health accountable to ensure that this position is effective in addressing the healthcare needs of rural residents across the province.

Unfortunately, we have been unable to obtain clarity from the Ministry regarding their position on Physician Assistants. We have received mixed messages and confusion, which is why we are requesting direct communication from the Ministry. We were disappointed by MLA Chant’s response in the legislature on this subject just last week, as it did not address the issue at hand. While we welcome the investment in Nurse Practitioners and other future healthcare workers, these announcements do not address the immediate need for the deployment of Physician Assistants who are fully trained and ready to serve. If work opportunities were available, many more Physician Assistants would be able to come to BC and help address the healthcare needs of rural residents.

We acknowledge the complexity of team-based care and understand the importance of adding the right tools in the correct way. However, we must emphasize that we are in an emergency situation where many rural residents are unable to receive care due to lack of personnel and exhausted teams. We are not duplicating existing skill sets, but rather addressing the urgent need for support in many rural communities where healthcare teams are overworked and in need of assistance to keep facilities open. Physician Assistants skills are not a new skill, their skills are recognized and known, and they are actively being sought out by healthcare teams to work in collaborative environments. The Doctors of BC have expressed their support for their inclusion since 2013.

While we recognize the need to establish a regulatory framework for Physician Assistants, we urge the Ministry to urgently request the College of Physicians and Surgeons to commence this process. In the meantime, emergency measures should be put in place to allow for their temporary inclusion in the BC healthcare system, whether through Order in Council or any other means that will enable immediate deployment in understaffed communities across the province. This is a reasonable and necessary response to an urgent situation.

We have been provided with mixed messages regarding licensing, we have reached out to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC to clarify their position on PAs. The response was immediate and direct. Dr. Oetter, CEO, writes on February 27th, 2023 “The College is prepared to do licensing and regulation of PAs if that becomes a priority of the Ministry of Health. And please tell all your friends. We are getting tired of the false accusations that the CPSBC is a barrier.”

We have consensus from the BC Liberals, the BC Greens, the rural communities of BC, the Doctors of BC and the body who will be entrusted with the licensing framework in the CPSBC and many other professional bodies! What else does the Ministry need to act?

We write to you with respect and understanding of the major challenge you face with the crisis in rural health in BC, which predates the pandemic. Unfortunately, both our organizations feel unheard and shut out from the conversation, and we hope you can assist us.

We appreciate your ability to meet with the Minister, the Premier, and with senior staff, and unfortunately, to date, that opportunity has not been offered to us. The BC Rural Health Network represents rural residents pan-provincially and is a solutions-based organization. We encourage you to look at our membership map and members and understand the extent of the network’s support. The Canadian Association of Physician Assistants is a national organization that advocates for and supports physician assistants across Canada.

We request a full response from you and ask for the Ministry’s official position on Physician Assistants being deployed in BC. We are also happy to meet with you and provide additional details, resources, and assistance to move this forward with haste. We see a solution and ask for action.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours in health and wellness,

Paul Adams

BCRHN

Lisa Stewart

CAPA

Cc: Premier Eby, Minister Dix, MLA Bond, MLA Fursteneau, Peggy Skelton, Eric Demers, Colin Moss, Bcc: Media, all rural MLAs.