Northern municipalities bring healthcare issues to UBCM
Representatives from municipalities throughout British Columbia descended upon Vancouver last week to bring their respective concerns to the annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention, in the hope of having these concerns heard by the provincial government.
Municipalities in the Peace brought several issues to their meetings with cabinet ministers at the annual convention. Some of these are concerns which have been brought to the Province’s attention a number of times before and have yet to be dealt with by the government.
At the top of the City of Fort St. John’s list of concerns was healthcare – including the Overdose Prevention Site, decriminalization of drugs and safety in public places, and addiction treatment. The District of Taylor also brought forth a recommendation for a performance review of health authorities.
Members of council who attended the UBCM convention were able to meet with the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, as well as both Shadow Ministers, for Health, Senior Services and Long-term Care and Mental Health, Addiction, Recovery and Education.
However, when council discussed which ministers to request meetings with, Councillor Byron Stewart likened the brief 15-minute meetings to “speed-dating”.
“There’s five minutes for handshakes and introductions, so you really only get ten minutes to talk,” Stewart said.
As many municipalities throughout the province brought forward similar concerns, and no doubt requested meetings with the same ministers, it is hoped that the overwhelming onslaught of concerns surrounding health issues will be addressed.
The UBCM executive brought forth a Special Resolution – SR1 Health Equity for Rural and Remote Communities – which encompassed the recommendations from various municipalities, including Fort St. John’s resolution regarding addiction treatment capacity in rural and remote communities.
The recommendation is as follows:
Whereas rural and remote communities in BC experience significant health care challenges, including a lack of access to emergency services, on-demand mental health and addictions facilities, physicians, paramedics, and other health professionals;
And whereas the long distances, limited public, and private transportation options to travel to the nearest health care service, and high costs for accommodations to stay near those sites while receiving treatment, are substantial barriers for people living in rural communities across the Province:
Therefore, be it resolved that the provincial government introduce metrics and policy to identify reasonable travel distances from each community to health care services and facilities, to ensure transparent, accountable, and equitable health care access for those living in rural and remote communities in BC;
And be it further resolved that the provincial government move quickly to increase the health care workforce in rural and remote communities by:
• creating additional licensing and training opportunities for internationally-trained medical graduates;
• establishing recruitment and retention programs for health care professionals willing to work in rural
areas;
• approving physician assistants to work alongside physicians and other health professionals; and
• expanding the use of nurse practitioners and pharmacists to increase access to health services.
At the 2022 convention, the UBCM endorsed a similar special resolution, which noted the immediate health care crisis due to the closure of hospitals and emergency rooms in communities, as well as a critical need for family physicians, emergency room doctors, paramedics, and nurses across the province.
Many of the recommendations brought forth by communities indicate that these issues have yet to be addressed by the Province. Some, such as requests for detox and rehabilitation beds to be available in every local government in BC, have been on the UBCM’s list of concerns since 2010.
The District of Taylor’s resolution for a health authorities performance review, is a new resolution to the UBCM, but one that the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) Executive agreed with, bringing its own resolution to the convention:
Whereas access to healthcare services is of paramount importance to all British Columbians, a detailed evaluation of structure/management is required to inform future strategies;
And whereas local governments have limited access to Health Authority reports:
Therefore, be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to require a review of the structure/management of Health Authorities.
Like many of the previous UBCM resolutions, which are only recommendations, not directives, made to government, this is not the first time these issues have been brought to the attention of the Health Minister. The Resource Municipalities Coalition wrote to Minister Adrian Dix in February 2022, requesting a comprehensive audit of Northern Health, following a March 2021 conversation with Dix.
Recently, Peace River North MLA Dan Davies characterized this request for an audit as part of the need for greater government transparency.
“We need to take a look at where we’re doing well, and where we need to improve,” Davies said. “A few years ago, Lori Ackerman, Rob Fraser and I talked to Adrian Dix, and asked for an audit. Not to say “gotcha” but to find ways and areas where we can do better.”
The NCLGA resolution to review Northern Health, is indicative of mayors and councils outside the Peace region seeing the need for better delivery of healthcare, according to Davies.
The resolution put forth by the NCLGA executive was endorsed as amended:
Therefore, be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to require a review of the structure/management of Health Authorities with multi-stakeholder engagement, including but not limited to local and Indigenous governments, community organizations, people with lived and living experience, and health staff as identified by the relevant union authorities with the goal of maximizing the impacts on physical, mental, social, and environmental health of the public, including acute and primary care, emergency department needs and surge capacity needs.
The ball is now in the Province’s court.