Times-Colonist OpEd: Dix needs to listen to healthcare providers

Public

Please read the OpEd by a BC family doctor that while Health Minister Adrian Dix uses findings of the Cayton report to defend the rapid introduction of Bill 36, the HPOA, he refuses to comment on the contradictory content in the report and snubs the issues raised by the Doctors of BC.

Dr. Kevin Koopman highlights, among other things, that:

The Cayton report notes the implementation of such sweeping regulatory changes requires meaningful and extensive consultation, saying consultation "will be needed to ensure clarity and avoid unintended consequences." Such consultation never happened with Doctors of BC. Dix ignored their concerns and blindsided them by steamrolling ahead with the 600-section bill.

This Act was voted on without full discussion in Parliament in November 2022. Worse, Adrian Dix purports to claim there was full consultation with doctors despite the Doctors of BC being unaware of any meaningful discussion. This is government over reach to control all health professions.

While physicians hope the Doctors of BC are going to respond effectively to this over reach, it is up to all individual physicians to safeguard the practice of medicine and healthcare for patients. To emphasize this, in addition to the public petition, a doctors-only petition to repeal Bill 36 is attached along with an introduction. Please consider signing it, encourage your physician colleagues to sign and send the petition to Mr. John Rustad, MLA (address on the introduction).

Respectfully,

York N. Hsiang, M.B. MHSc., FRCSC.
Professor of Surgery
Department of Surgery

Weblink:

Dix needs to listen to health-care providers, https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/comment-dix-needs-to-listen-to-hea...