A B.C. Opposition MLA Brennan Day is raising concerns about the province’s upcoming overtime freeze for long-term care and assisted living.
Announced in September, the province said that the reason for the funding ending was that it had started as temporary top ups during the pandemic, and that the province would be winding the program down by the end of October.
However, Day says that in his Comox Valley riding that means almost 100 people may be forced into care homes, as the funding will affect staffing levels.
“These are not hypotheticals,” he said in a letter to Health Minister Josie Osborne on Oct. 22. “These are lives — lives that depend on the compassion and competence of those entrusted to lead the Ministry of Health.”
The impact would be felt beyond his community, Day said.
In a news release, Three Links Care Society from Vancouver said that the move would lead to “fewer beds, longer waitlists, and increased pressure on families and communities.”
“We want to be treated fairly. Overtime is still being funded for government-owned and operated facilities, yet charities are being told to absorb these costs. That’s not equity—it’s a double standard.” said Janice Boyle, CEO of The Three Links Care Society.
As the announcement was made, the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) responded, saying with a news release, saying that “without provincial funding to cover overtime and agency staffing costs, operators in many communities will struggle to meet these standards, particularly in regions already facing a shortage of qualified workers. BCCPA is warning that this will mean a reduction in services.
“The dollar value of these cuts is small compared to the overall health budget, but it is a huge hit to seniors’ care,” said Mary Polak, CEO of BCCPA. “The recent BC Seniors Advocate’s report makes it clear this is the wrong time to reduce access for older adults.”
Osborne responded to Day during Question Period on Oct. 7, saying that “We are building long-term-care beds in this province at a rate that hasn’t been seen for years — over 1,290 beds complete, with another 4,300 beds on the way … and adding more than 2,400 health care assistant training seats into the complement of training seats that are necessary to build up this workforce.
“What I’m going to commit to is the plan that we are already on, building more long-term care beds, expanding existing long-term-care facilities, supporting staff for treatment and training working closely with health authorities, with non-profit providers, with our allied health providers and ensuring that seniors get the care they need, providing supports at home to keep seniors safe,” she said.
“Nothing could be more important than this work.”