FURSTENAU: A government measures what it values. It shows you its priorities by where it spends money

 

The BC government's recent investments into health care have focused on capacity for acute care facilities, such as acquiring new MRI machines. While a reduction in wait-times will be welcome, in my opinion, a more comprehensive approach is required, one that invests not just in machines, but in the very foundations of our provincial healthcare.

Public health is the first and most fundamental level in any effective healthcare system. This should include community services, youth outreach, access to housing and education, a social safety net, harm reduction, school food programs, and tackling social issues such as isolation and loneliness. 

Unfortunately, over the last four decades we have witnessed a decline in such investments in public health and wellbeing, resulting in a weakened foundation for the entire system.

The second level of our healthcare system after public health is primary care, represented by family doctors, nurse practitioners, and walk-in clinics. This primary care network plays a crucial role in preventing serious illnesses and reducing the burden on acute care facilities. Sadly, in British Columbia, the primary care system is on its knees - healthcare professionals are overworked, burnt out, and responsible for an ever-increasing number of patients.

The concepts of of team-based care and community health centres are gaining traction. The incorporation of psychologists into primary care teams, for example, would help to address the rising prevalence of mental health issues, and relieve some of the pressure on GPs and family doctors to 'do it all'.  Investments in these kinds of solutions can make a difference for public wellbeing by making holistic or wraparound care more accessible. How would it feel to walk in to a facility and trust that no matter what your health needs are, you're in the right place? 

The government's emphasis on acquiring new medical equipment for acute care is too narrow; an acute care system alone cannot compensate for the lack of investments in public wellbeing and primary care. The broken foundations of our healthcare system have ultimately lead to a focus on "sick care". The impact of this is seen in tragic stories of late-stage cancer diagnoses, where people without timely access to exams, referrals or preventative treatments learn too late that they need urgent care, and end up undergoing costly surgeries, or worse. 

It's worth considering how much upstream investments could save in downstream costs.

The burden on our acute system is so much greater when we let people live in horrific conditions brought on by poverty and homelessness. The $548 000 spent last year by City of Vancouver to clear Hastings Street encampments is a prime example - imagine what could be accomplished if that funding had been instead allocated to shelters and essential services to keep people healthy!

Our health and well-being is determined by a complex range of factors, not merely those body parts that appear on an MRI scan. What we need for a robust healthcare system is a shift in priorities, and greater government accountability.

A government measures what it values. It shows you its priorities by where it spends money. In 3 weeks, the 2024 budget will be released, and it will be very important for British Columbians to look closely at what this government is measuring and where it plans to spend. 

To your health,
Sonia Furstenau
MLA, Cowichan Valley
Leader, BC Green Party