The NDP Record | The BC Liberal Record |
Doctors - Not one new medical training space created to train new doctors.
| Doctors - Doubled the number of doctor training spaces from 128 to 256.
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Nurses - Eliminated 1,600 full-time nursing positions between 1993 and 1997.
- Cut training positions for nurses.
- Trained no nurse practitioners.
| Nurses - Added over 3,300 nurse training spaces since 2001, a 82% increase.
- First-ever class of nurse practitioners graduated in 2005.
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Seniors care beds - Average wait for residential care bed was 360 days (as of 2000).
- Reduced number of long-term care beds by 18% between 1994-99.
| Seniors care beds - Committed to provide 5,000 net-new residential care beds, assisted living units, and supportive housing with home support units by the end of 2008.
- To date, 9,599 new and replacement beds and units have been built, including 4,053 net-new beds/units. In addition, there are 2,401 beds/units under construction.
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Health Equipment - Not one new MRI machine added in 10 years.
| Health Equipment - B.C. has acquired 13 new CT scanners for hospitals giving a current total of 45 CT scanners.
- B.C. has acquired 10 new MRI scanners for hospitals giving a current total of 19 MRI scanners.
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Health Facilities Broken promises to build health facilities like: | Health Facilities - Building Abbotsford Hospital and Cancer Centre.
- Opened the Jim Pattison Pavilion at Vancouver General Hospital.
- Built Kamloops Mental Health Facility
Expanded and upgraded hospitals in Prince George, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Cranbrook, and many other communities.
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Mental Health - NDP announced a $125-million Mental Health Plan but didn’t provide any funding for it.
- “While it was announced, it was never in a budget. There wasn’t budget approval.” – NDP Health Minister Penny Priddy (Source: Vancouver Sun, 1 Apr 2000)
| Mental Health - Fully funding $125 million Mental Health Plan.
- Also funding a $138 million capital plan to build new mental health facilities across the province from Victoria to Kamloops and from Prince George to Terrace.
- Government spends over $1 billion per year on mental health and addictions - a 20% increase since 2001.
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Waste - Hundred of millions wasted on 52 health regions.
| Waste - We reduced the number of health authorities from 52 to six, saving $100 million in administration that being reinvested in better services and new technology.
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Prescription drugs - Prescription drug program that charged more to people with lower incomes than higher incomes.
| Prescription drugs - Under Fair Pharmacare, if you earn less, you pay less.
- Reduced prescription costs for 280,000 seniors and low-income families.
- BC was the first province to approve and cover the cost of the drug Herceptin for all eligible breast cancer patients.
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