On April 7, 2017, the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and the BC Lower Mainland Chapter of the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) will be co-hosting a special Care to Chat event focusing on the challenges of Health Human Resources (HHR) in the continuing care sector.

One of the most pressing issues facing the continuing care sector is ensuring sufficient levels of care providers exist now and in the future to meet the needs of an aging population. A 2016 SafeCare BC survey reports that 60% of non-government long term care homes were regularly short staffed, and that the problem is particularly acute in the Vancouver Island (78%) and Interior (65%) health regions. The positions most commonly identified as having the chronic shortages were care aides and health care assistants (66%), LPNs (47%), and RNs (47%).

In September 2016, the BCCPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, brought together over 140 stakeholders from across the health care sector at the inaugural BC Continuing Care Collaborative. At this event labour shortages and the need for immediate solutions to improve the recruitment and retention of care providers were identified as among the top priorities by the health leaders who participated from across the province.  

As outlined in a series of policy papers released by the Ministry of Health in 2015 the province currently lacks a coherent, comprehensive and sustained health human resource strategy. It notes that recruiting and retaining health service providers is key to ensuring that British Columbians have access to the health services including in rural and remote parts of the province. Subsequently, the Ministry has identified care aides and health care assistants as priority professions for immediate action .

To better deal with issues around the recruitment and retention of health care providers for seniors care there must be a coordinated role between the continuing care sector, Ministry of Health and Health Authorities working collaboratively with colleges and universities.

This event will include a panel of sector, government, health authority and other representatives to discuss collaborative solutions to the current HHR challenges being faced by BC’s continuing care sector. Along with focusing on how we can better recruit, train and retain workers into this vital sector, the panel will look at issues such as high workplace injury rates including worker stress and burnout, the use of multidisciplinary care teams, new care models as well as integrating new health professionals and the unique challenges faced in rural and remote communities. 

When:     Friday April 7th
Where:    Terminal City Club, Vancouver
Time:       11:30 am – 2:00 pm

Care to Chat: Help Wanted: Are We Doing Enough to Attract and Retain the Continuing Care Workforce of the Future?

  • April 7, 2017
  • Terminal City Club
    837 West Hastings Street
    Vancouver, British Columbia
    Canada
    V6C1B6