Bulletins

BC Health Coalition Action Alert Dear Friend of Medicare, We're calling on you to join with public health care supporters in your community to demand quality and accessible health care for seniors and people with disabilities. As a part of the home and community care weeks of action this month, write a letter to your local papers and have your...

BC Health Coalition calls on province to reverse its directive requiring health authorities to charge fees to patients who need hospital care to recover from illness or injury The BC Health Coalition is concerned that core hospital services previously provided to patients free of charge as required by the Canada Health Act are now subject to so-called -convalescent care" fees...

Employment security will enhance stability and quality services for the people who need them in a time of tremendous change and government cuts. The Health Sciences Association and other unions representing more than 15,000 community social services workers have made employment security and continuity of services a centrepiece of the bargaining associations proposals at the bargaining table. The unions' proposals...

The Health Sciences Association is adding the unions voice to concerns raised by a group of concerned advocates for community living services and supports. The group is asking for the circulation of a letter sent today to Jane Holland, BCs Advocate for Service Quality. It represents an unprecedented joint effort by community groups and organizations representing adults with developmental disabilities...

A new poll conducted for The Roundtable of Provincial Social Service Organizations confirms British Columbians support for restoring funding to community social services. According to the Angus Reid poll, 65 per cent of British Columbians surveyed agreed current funding levels are too low for community social services such as daycare; seniors care, employment services, supports to families and children, help...

Elections will be held during the next six weeks to select members to fill the following HSA positions for the coming year: 1. Chief Steward2. Assistant Chief Steward3. General Stewards4. Occupational Health & Safety Stewards and5. Labour Council Delegates (for chapters that are, or wish to become, affiliated to their local labour council). Stewards play an essential role within HSA...

In a unanimous vote last night, Vancouver City Council passed a motion calling for the restoration of the outpatient Domestic Violence Program at Vancouver General Hospital. VGH closed the clinic in a surprise move this summer, with no consultation with emergency room staff or with the community. HSA Region 4 Director Brendan Shields spoke in support of the motion on...

HSA has contracted with Viewpoints Research to conduct a survey of HSA members on issues related to current contract negotiations. Your feedback is important and valuable to your bargaining committee. If you are contacted by Viewpoints Research in the coming week, we encourage you to participate in the telephone survey, which will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Please contact...

Hundreds of HSA members across the province participated in Sunday's Run for the Cure. Charmaine Nathan (medical radiation clinical educator, St. Paul's Hospital) brought her daughter. Send us yourphotos! If we use your photo on our website or in The Report magazine, we'll send you a gift package. Send your photos to @email

Fraser Health Authority announced last week that it is reducing the number of Registered Psychiatric Nurses and RNs caring for seniors in residential care. FHA is laying off approximately a dozen Registered Psychiatric Nurses, among more than 100 nurses to be laid off in FHA-owned and -operated facilities. The FHA layoffs affect RPNs and RNs at these sites: • Maple...