Statement on Wait Times Affecting Sara Gillooly and Many Others

Statement from HSA President Sarah Kooner:

"On behalf of the 23,000 specialized health professionals at Health Sciences Association, I want to express our deep dismay at the situation faced by Sara Gillooly.
 
“Every day, I hear from members concerned about how wait times leave too many of their patients without the timely care they need. Shortages of specialized health professionals working in diagnostic imaging like PET, CT, sonography, nuclear medicine and MRI are very bad in BC. They are particularly worrisome in PET – thousands of British Columbian with a cancer diagnosis must get a PET scan before their treatment can proceed but there are fewer than 30 PET technologists in the whole province.
 
“And it’s not just diagnostic imaging. The shortage of radiation therapists to treat cancer continues to cause delays, and there are chronic shortages of lab technologists, social workers, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, perfusionists, and so many others.
 
“We are currently negotiating a new contract for these dedicated health care professionals, and hope to convince the BC government to agree to a contract that would hire more of them to reduce these terrible wait times and frequent cancelation of urgent surgical procedures.
 
"Unfortunately, there has been no progress on this, and HSA members last month voted 90% in favour of job action to address this issue. We urge the provincial government to act."