WITH B.C.’s only program to train eye doctors at risk of losing its accreditation, the BC Liberals are calling on the NDP government to step in and act quickly to preserve these vital health care training spaces.

“With a health care system in crisis, and more than one million people in B.C. on waitlists to see specialists, we simply cannot afford to lose this valuable medical program,” said Shirley Bond, BC Liberal Critic for Health, on Thursday. “We have a desperate need for doctors of every specialty in our province, and government must act to ensure that not one training space is lost.”

Recently, Canada’s Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons gave notice of their intent to withdraw its accreditation of the University of British Columbia’s ophthalmology program. Last September, more than 100 consultant specialists in B.C. signed a letter to Health Minister Adrian Dix raising their concerns about the one million British Columbians on the waitlist to see specialists and the need to invest in specialty care.

“It’s estimated that even with the current ophthalmology program, B.C. is training only half of the eye doctors required to keep up with the needs of the province,” said Coralee Oakes, BC Liberal Critic for Advanced Education. “Losing the residency program altogether would be disastrous, impacting the availability of care for decades to come. The NDP must intervene immediately and ensure British Columbians have access to the health care they need and deserve, now and in the future.”