Carole James should reflect on her record and the facts before spreading more misinformation and dishonesty about private clinics in B.C.
April 21, 2009
Carole James should reflect on her record and the facts before spreading more misinformation and dishonesty about private clinics in B.C. Here are the facts:
- Carole James has acknowledged that there is a role for private clinics in B.C.:
“I wouldn't dispute private clinics -- they have their place in British Columbia and they're gonna continue to operate and to make a profit, that's their job.”
- Carole James,CFAX Newsline with Stephen Andrews, 25 Aug 04.
- The number of private clinics in B.C. doubled under the NDP from 26 to 50, including Cambie Surgical Centre opening in 1996 and False Creek Surgical Centre in 1999.
- In fact, NDP candidate Adrian Dix was the NDP’s chief political advisor when both of these clinics opened. NDP candidate Mike Farnworth was the Health Minister when the False Creek clinic opened.
- The NDP government was actively using private clinics to reduce waitlists:
‘The North Shore Health Region is beating hospital waiting lists by quietly shuffling hundreds of cataract patients on to a local private clinic.’ Private clinic caters to North Shore eyes The Province, 25 Jan 00
- Carole James’ NDP has also noted the benefits of using private clinics:
“In Alberta they’ve done a pilot project where they’ve put all of that into a single clinic. They have reduced by 90 per cent the waiting time for all of those phases, in order to get people’s hip and knee replacements. That’s the kind of thing that we should be doing.”
-David Cubberley on a private health clinic performing hip and knee surgeries, CKOV, 08 Feb 06
- The NDP actively promoted a role for private clinics in our health system in the 1990s.
- It was the BC Liberals who have been absolutely clear that private clinics can only operate within the confines of the Canada Health Act and Medicare Protection Act.
- In fact, the BC Liberals reinforced that act by passing provincial legislation further enshrining the principles of a universal, publicly funded health care system in law and the NDP voted against it.
- If there are allegations of extra billing, they are thoroughly investigated by the Medical Services Commission or the Ministry of Health Services.
- In fact, the Medical Services Commission is presently before the courts with respect to a case of alleged extra billing.
The results speak for themselves: there are more publicly funded services and procedures being conducted in B.C. today than ever before in our history.
