News & Updates

BL9994The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority has notified HSA that it has developed recommendations for a redesign of laboratory services.The VCHA has stated that its proposals will result in changes to the VCHA sites or transfers between the sites, impacting staffing levels, shift rotations, full-time equivalents, and required skill mix. However, the health authority has indicated that they will work with...

The decision by the Fraser Health Authority to send patients to private MRI clinics shows that the BC government has failed to plan for long-term health care needs, says Cindy Stewart, President of the Health Sciences Association of BC.While Stewart acknowledges the health authority is trying to resolve an immediate problem, she says that a long-term strategy is required to...

NUPGE among groups defending public medicare at historic summitOttawa - Defenders of public medicare, including the National Union of Public and General Employees, and HSA President Cindy Stewart rallied Monday as Prime Minister Paul Martin and the first ministers began a three-day historic summit on the future of health care in Canada.Their message to the country's top leaders can be...

Ottawa - An organization representing 60,000 diagnostic, clinical, rehabilitation, pharmacy and other health science professionals today called on Canada's First Ministers to take immediate action to address the growing shortage of health professionals in Canada."The solution to reducing wait times begins with ensuring an adequate and stable supply of health professionals," says Cindy Stewart, Co-chair of the Canadian Health Professionals...

BL9993The Paramedical Professional Bargaining Association (PPBA) and the Health Employers' Association of BC (HEABC) have reached an agreement on an outstanding dispute regarding extended health care benefits.The dispute stems from HEABC's directive to Pacific Blue Cross that the collective agreement did not require it to cover the additional costs arising from the BC government's decision to de-list physiotherapy, chiropractic services...

Most citizens disagree with Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's demand that Ottawa give provinces money with no strings attached Ottawa - On the eve of the First Ministers meeting on health care, a strong majority of Canadians in every region ... including Alberta ... disagree with Alberta premier Ralph Kleins opposition to conditions being imposed on new federal health care funding...

The Report: September / October 2004 vol.25 num.5 by CINDY STEWART hen the First Ministers were meeting in Ottawa to discuss the future of health care, I was there in my capacity as co-chair of the Canadian Health professionals Secretariat (CHPS) calling for a national strategy to address the growing shortage of health science professionals in Canada. Ironically, it was...

The Report: September / October 2004 vol.25 num.5 by SARAH O'LEARY I am a lab technologist at a hospital. Two years ago I had problems with my right arm. It was diagnosed as a strain originally, and then my doctor told me it was tendonitis. I mentioned it to a co-worker, but I never reported it to my employer or...

The Report: September / October 2004 vol.25 num.5 by LAURA BUSHEIKIN ab technologist and union activist Gottfrid Janzé could be used as living proof of the old saying ‘the apple never falls far from the tree ... or, just as easily, as an example of how wrong it is. It just depends on what aspect of his working life you...

The Report: September / October 2004 vol.25 num.5 by MIRIAM SOBRINO usan Hearsey describes herself as “boring.” She’s a physiotherapist who loves the work. She eats, sleeps and breathes physiotherapy. She takes physiotherapy books and magazines with her for holiday reading. Susan Hearsey Chief Physiotherapist Burnaby General Hospital But dig a little deeper and you learn that Hearsey is far...