B.C. Liberals: Healthcare crisis worsens while NDP fails to act

AS wait times skyrocket, clinics shut down, and doctors leave family practice, the BC Liberals on Monday called on the NDP government to take action to invest in B.C. healthcare and provide British Columbians with real, timely access to quality primary care.

“Right now, more than 900,000 people in our province do not have a family doctor or primary care provider,” said Shirley Bond, Official Opposition Leader and BC Liberal Critic for Health. “This number has dramatically increased over the last few years under [Premier] John Horgan and the NDP, and it is putting serious pressure on our already overwhelmed healthcare system. People want a relationship with a family doctor, but those who can’t find one are forced to rely on walk-in clinics, emergency rooms, and urgent primary care centres. This not only increases wait times, but also leaves people without access to effective preventative medicine and longitudinal care.”

Recent figures from walk-in clinics confirm the serious problems in our healthcare system, as B.C. has the worst wait times in the country, with average wait times more than twice the national average. British Columbia is also the only province that has seen wait times increase over the last few years, with average waits increasing nearly 50 per cent since 2019.

“People feel hopeless when it comes to getting basic medical attention in B.C.,” said Bond. “The NDP has tried to blame these problems on the federal government, but every other province has seen their wait times decrease — this is clearly a made-in-B.C. problem and one that desperately needs attention. The responsibility to address the worsening state of health care in our province falls squarely on the shoulders of this NDP government, and every day they fail to take action, more people are left without access to the care they need. It is time for this two-term government to step up and address the growing crisis.”