Half of British Columbians say the biggest issue facing the province's healthcare system is a shortage of doctors and nurses, according to a poll released Friday..The poll, conducted by Research Co., also says 31% of British Columbians believe the province’s healthcare system is so overwhelmed with problems that it requires a complete rebuild..Only 13% said the system works well, needing only minor changes..“Negative perceptions about the current state of the healthcare system in British Columbia increase with age,“ said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co..“While only 22% of residents aged 18-to-34 call for a complete rebuild, the proportion rises to 30% among those aged 35-to-54 and to 40% among those aged 55 and over.”.The BC College of Family Physicians says one-million British Columbians are currently without a family doctor and remain unable to get one, and a research poll released by the college in April shows 40% of those who do have a family doctor in BC are worried they will be lost to practice closure or retirement..Facing vicious criticism, BC Premier John Horgan previously highlighted there were 437,000 British Columbians unattached to a primary care practitioner in 2003, doubling to 897,000 by 2017..“The problem didn’t start yesterday,” he said..In an attempt to alleviate pressure, health officials announced forthcoming changes Thursday such as broadening the role of pharmacists, allowing them to issue and renew more prescriptions for those without a family doctor..READ MORE: BC expanding power of pharmacists amid sinking healthcare system.BC Liberal Critic for Health Shirley Bond says she's "glad to see some common sense changes" following the BC New Democrat's Thursday announcements, however she added that it is "too little too late."."While I’m encouraged to see some level of action, far more needs to be done to relieve the pressure on our healthcare workers and ensure that all British Columbians have access to the care they need and deserve," said Bond..Research Co. asked those participating in its poll what they thought about a BC Supreme Court judge's previous ruling that access to private healthcare isn’t a constitutional right, irrespective of wait times in the public system. More than a third of respondents agreed with the decision while 49% did not agree with it and 14% are undecided.
Half of British Columbians say the biggest issue facing the province's healthcare system is a shortage of doctors and nurses, according to a poll released Friday..The poll, conducted by Research Co., also says 31% of British Columbians believe the province’s healthcare system is so overwhelmed with problems that it requires a complete rebuild..Only 13% said the system works well, needing only minor changes..“Negative perceptions about the current state of the healthcare system in British Columbia increase with age,“ said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co..“While only 22% of residents aged 18-to-34 call for a complete rebuild, the proportion rises to 30% among those aged 35-to-54 and to 40% among those aged 55 and over.”.The BC College of Family Physicians says one-million British Columbians are currently without a family doctor and remain unable to get one, and a research poll released by the college in April shows 40% of those who do have a family doctor in BC are worried they will be lost to practice closure or retirement..Facing vicious criticism, BC Premier John Horgan previously highlighted there were 437,000 British Columbians unattached to a primary care practitioner in 2003, doubling to 897,000 by 2017..“The problem didn’t start yesterday,” he said..In an attempt to alleviate pressure, health officials announced forthcoming changes Thursday such as broadening the role of pharmacists, allowing them to issue and renew more prescriptions for those without a family doctor..READ MORE: BC expanding power of pharmacists amid sinking healthcare system.BC Liberal Critic for Health Shirley Bond says she's "glad to see some common sense changes" following the BC New Democrat's Thursday announcements, however she added that it is "too little too late."."While I’m encouraged to see some level of action, far more needs to be done to relieve the pressure on our healthcare workers and ensure that all British Columbians have access to the care they need and deserve," said Bond..Research Co. asked those participating in its poll what they thought about a BC Supreme Court judge's previous ruling that access to private healthcare isn’t a constitutional right, irrespective of wait times in the public system. More than a third of respondents agreed with the decision while 49% did not agree with it and 14% are undecided.
