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Conservatives Urge Government to Support Bill M-219 as Specialist Waitlist Crisis Exposed by New Report

A new report from the Consultant Specialists of BC (cSBC) reveals a deepening specialist waitlist crisis, with more than 1.2 million British Columbians currently waiting to see a specialist, the longest delays and lowest satisfaction levels in the country.

The report highlights the human impact of these delays: a Vancouver man had his lung transplant cancelled due to specialist shortages, while nearly 1,364 Interior Health patients died while on waitlists last year.

"Behind every number is a frightened patient and a devastated family,” said Dr. Anna Kindy, MLA for North Island and Conservative Health Critic. “People are suffering, deteriorating, and in some cases dying because they cannot access specialist care when they need it.”

The cSBC warns that prolonged specialist waits are driving ER overcrowding, avoidable hospital admissions, physician burnout, and more repeat referrals, all of which further destabilize the healthcare system.

“Specialist are having to triage referrals continually leads to burnout. Knowing that British Columbians are suffering and some getting worse before you have a chance to see them is demoralising to our specialists. It is putting patient safety at risk, and some specialist no longer want to work under these unsafe conditions. That is why we are seeing things like the pediatric unit closing temporarily at Kelowna General Hospital, a whole OB-GYN department resigning at Kamloops’ Royal Inland Hospital and 4 psychiatrists at Vernon Jubilee Hospital”.

The report calls for a province-wide, real-time specialist waitlist database, better management tools to reduce waitlists, and improved coordination between primary and specialist care.

“These recommendations are practical, achievable, and urgently needed,” Dr. Kindy said. “British Columbians deserve a system that is transparent, responsive, and capable of delivering timely care, which is exactly why I have been pushing for stronger wait-time transparency and accountability through Bill M-219.” 

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