B.C. NDP leader David Eby says the party would expand diagnostic capacity and coordinate surgical wait times if re-elected in the Oct. 24 provincial election.
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B.C. NDP leader David Eby announced on Tuesday, Oct. 6 that the party’s plan to address long medical appointment wait times would be implemented if it is re-elected in the Oct. 24 provincial election.
In a statement, Eby said that waiting for a scan or surgery can mean living with pain and “worrying every day about when you’ll finally get the call,” adding that the province cannot stop hiring healthcare workers and investing in equipment to reduce waits.
Eby’s plan includes adding eight new MRI machines and 10 CT scanners. The BC NDP said the additional equipment will increase the province’s diagnostic capacity by approximately 15 per cent.
The party also said surgical wait time can depend on which surgeon a patient is referred to, with waits varying between 10 and 50+ weeks. Under the plan, the BC NDP says it would bring in a coordinated regional surgical waitlist designed to match patients with capacity across the region.
Eby said the approach would allow patients to choose a specific surgeon, an appointment at their closest hospital, or the shortest possible wait time.
The BC NDP pointed to polling by the Angus Reid Institute indicating 42 per cent of B.C. voters think healthcare is among the most important issues when deciding which party and candidates to support.
The announcement also included contrasting campaign positions on healthcare funding. Eby said that because Conservative Party leader Lorne Doerkson has promised to “slash the deficit and won’t ask the wealthiest earners to pay a bit more,” it “can mean only one thing: deep cuts to healthcare you and your family rely on.”
The Conservatives said they would protect health care funding, including by hiring and retaining more doctors and nurses, helping rural medical practices at risk of closure, and putting $50 million into an emergency fund. They also said they would train more doctors in B.C., bring home Canadians who studied medicine abroad, and speed up international credential recognition.
The BC NDP also said it has promised to “triple” its U.S. recruitment campaign. The party said that since it was first elected it has hired 1,800 specialists, 21 new MRI units and 15 CT scanners.
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