More surgery cuts eyed to balance books
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Updated: August 13, 2009 1:16 PM
The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority is considering a 10 per cent cut in elective surgeries to help balance its budget, according to a planning document leaked to the NDP.
That mirrors Fraser Health's plan to chop its 2009 elective surgeries by a similar amount in the rest of the Lower Mainland.
Vancouver Coastal officials say no decisions have yet been made, but the document indicates 112 nurses, anesthesiologists and other staff may be laid off, plus an undetermined number of surgeons.
Net savings are estimated at $4.2 million.
An additional $600,000 would be saved by closing a third of operating rooms in Vancouver, Richmond and the North Shore during the 2010 Olympics, postponing a further 1,100 elective surgeries.
NDP health critic Adrian Dix said the surgery cuts likely means both health authorities may soon reschedule patients slated for procedures in the weeks ahead.
"We're talking about thousands and thousands of surgeries here," he said.
The 10 per cent cut in surgeries over the span of the fiscal year would mean a 24 per cent reduction in surgeries normally performed between September and March, the VCHA document shows.
Fraser Health officials have stressed the cuts won't impact emergency or cancer surgeries.
But Dix said the surgeries are all medically necessary – including neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, vascular and spinal surgery – and accused the authority of downplaying the impact on patients.
"The suggestion elective surgeries are not serious is laughable," he said.
Dix said longer wait surgery wait lists will mean
A Fraser Health spokesperson said no decisions have yet been made on how to implement the surgery cuts.
Fraser's CEO confirmed the planned 10 per cent reduction last month.
B.C.'s health authorities face a combined budget shortfall of $320 million this year.
Seniors programs get axe
Impacts of other health care cuts are starting to be felt.
Fraser Health is eliminating its funding grants to various seniors' organizations for outreach and assistance programs such as seniors daycare that are credited with helping seniors stay healthy.
Officials say funding will be cut to 12 different organizations, in a bid to reduce costs by $450,000.
"These are the exact programs that keep people out of acute care beds," NDP health critic Adrian Dix said. "They save money and they improve the quality of life. And these are the programs they close with 30 days notice?"
Lynda Foley, Fraser's executive director for home health and end of life services, said the cuts are unfortunate, but added the authority must focus on its core services.
"They're nice to have, but they're not essential," Foley said. "We're all under significant economic challenges."
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