Health Science Professionals

Are you an HSA member with a passion for disability management and rehabilitation? Do you have strong organizational, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills? Are you employed with the Vancouver Island Health Authority? If so, consider applying to be an Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) regional representative. Under the direction of designated HSA staff, the HSA EDMP Regional Representative works as part...

HSA welcomes today’s announcement that government will fund 37,000 more MRI scans in the public system during the coming year, compared to last year. BC has had the longest wait times for MRI in the country for several years, resulting in many patients paying for medically necessary scans at private clinics. Some of these patients then use these scans to...

New Island Health travel reimbursement policy violates HSPBA contract Policy raises barriers to reimbursement of work-related expenses HSA has filed a policy grievance with Island Health Authority for introducing a policy related to travel expenses that violates the collective agreement. IHA has updated its 2006 Travel policy for staff who are required to travel and/or use personal vehicles for work...

HSA stewards are reminded that the deadline for receiving bargaining proposals from chapters is Friday, November 17, 2017. If you have not yet scheduled a meeting to allow members to discuss and vote on proposals to be considered at the union’s Bargaining Proposal Conference in December, please schedule a meeting as soon as possible in order to be able to...

HELP COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY WILDFIRE In communities across BC, thousands of people are suffering BC’s worst forest fire season in many years. Health care professionals, including members of HSA, have stepped up by asking how they can work to help their colleagues deliver health in affected regions. The Ministry of Health, working with HealthLink BC, has responded by creating a...

Health science professionals at the Nanaimo Child Development Centre have voted by a strong majority to join the Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA). The union's 34 new members include health science professionals who deliver services in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, infant development program, family development, Vancouver Island Children's Assessment Network, preschool, and supported child development. "We are...

HSA’s board of directors has set a plan to consult with members in advance of contract negotiations for health science professionals in 2018. Although the current HSPBA collective agreement is not due to expire until March 31, 2019, the union’s leadership wants to ensure members share their ideas on how to improve the strained health care system in British Columbia...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2017 BY LAURA BUSHEIKIN When respiratory therapist John Hindle first got involved in HSA as a shop steward, his goal was fairly modest. "I just wanted to help resolve some problems at my workplace," says Hindle. But once he started learning about union issues, Hindle wanted more. A year or so later, Hindle found himself fully...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2017 Recognition of diversity is now essential to the health of our society and the strength of organizations. Today, leading institutions seek to understand the unique experience of their members in order to better represent and serve them. HSA has long sought to understand and respect the diversity of our members, and in March, almost 800...

HSA REPORT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2017 BY DENNIS BLATCHFORD HSA PENSIONS AND BENEFITS ADVOCATE I received HSA's recent clarification on payroll changes and the reference to members' long-term disability contributions now being directed to the new Joint Health Sciences Benefit Trust (JHSBT). Since the JHSBT is now receiving benefit contributions, I'm wondering what members might expect now. The new JHSBT did...