The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has filled a formal complaint against the B.C. government over what they describe as restrictive policies preventing out-of-province care workers from working in British Columbia.
The BCCPA has expressed growing frustration towards the provincial government since March when the province moved to take control of employee contracts in privately-run home support services and roll them back into the Fraser, Vancouver Coastal and Island Health Authorities.
In the formal complaint filed on Monday, the care providers association is arguing that by establishing a B.C. Care Aide and Community Health Worker Registry, the province is imposing undue and unfair restrictions on the right of Alberta care aides to work in B.C. The organization contends the registry is breaking the rules established by the New West Partnership Trade Agreement.
According to the care providers, the provincial government made changes in January 2018 that required care aides from other provinces to pay $800 for a written examination that only allows one percent of applicants to proceed without additional courses and training—and which required them to take an in-person exam at the only testing site located in Vancouver.
WATCH HERE (aired March 15): B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix responds to comments on seniors services
“I was absolutely amazed that I had to take two competency exams and pay over $1,400 to prepare for and get registered as a care aide in B.C. I found it extremely redundant that the study materials for the competency exams were exactly the same as what I used to get certified in Ontario,” Rustam Mann, a care aide from Toronto, said.
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“I still fail to understand why anyone within Canada moving to B.C. would have to retake an exam they have already passed in another province. It would be just as absurd to ask someone to retake their driver’s license when they are already in good standing.”
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Health Minister Adrian Dix says the decision to ‘improve standards’ was made by the previous government. Dix says he treating the BCCPA ‘as partners in this’ and that he ‘will be working with them and everyone else to make things better.’
“I don’t think anyone who works in a care home, or who lives in a care home, wants us to lower standard,” Dix said.
“We have dramatically increase the training for care aides. The previous government allowed most seniors to be treated below standard. We could not have taken more effective steps to address this.”
The care providers have been experiencing what is described as a “severe staffing shortage” in B.C.’s interior. According to the BCCPA, if sufficient numbers of new staff are not recruited by July 1st, it is anticipated that seniors may not receive the care they need in a number of communities.
“The NWPTA agreement signed by all four western provinces was supposed to help facilitate health care workers to be able to work in B.C. if they were trained in neighbouring Alberta,” BC Care Providers Association board chair Aly Devji said.
“Rather, the current regime contravenes the agreement and it imposes an undue financial hardship for the care aides that want to be at the bedside for some of B.C.’s most frail and elderly citizens.”
Tensions hit an all time high between the BCCPA and the provincial government following the announcement in March that will see contracts to be brought in house, when contracts with external service providers for home support services are set to expire in March 2020. The health authorities will not be renewing these contracts as they work with the Ministry of Health to prepare enhancements in home support care.
“Living a healthy, independent life at home is important to people in our region who access our home support services, which is why we are working with government to improve the way we deliver this care,” Fraser Health CEO Dr. Victoria Lee said in March.
“We believe making this thoughtful and deliberate change will result in better services for our clients and better experiences for our employees.”
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