New Democrat Leader Carole James joined Health Critic Adrian Dix and Seniors’ Health Critic Guy Gentner today to unveil two new bills designed to protect seniors and improve care conditions in facilities across British Columbia.

“Together, these two pieces of legislation will go a long way to improving health care for seniors in British Columbia,” said James. “For too long our seniors have been forced to put up with neglect and disrespect from Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals. Whether it’s Beacon Hill Villa in Victoria or any number of facilities across the province, we know there is a real crisis in health care for seniors. Just this week, I was in Kelowna and heard story after story about seniors not getting the care they deserve. Unfortunately, Gordon Campbell refuses to acknowledge the crisis and he refuses to do anything about it or hold anyone accountable.”

The Representative For Seniors Act will create a Representative for Seniors to improve care and support for seniors and their families in British Columbia. The Representative for Seniors will monitor the performance of various programs and services to ensure they are integrated, coordinated, non-discriminatory and accountable.
“Just like British Columbia needed a Representative for Children and Youth, we need one for seniors,” said James. “The Representative will work on behalf of seniors and their families to advocate on their behalf and report publicly to ensure the government can’t duck accountability and bury reports like they did with the deplorable conditions at Beacon Hill Villa.”

The Community Care and Assisted Living Act Amendment Act will ensure British Columbia develops an accountability framework to protect seniors. The Bill will mandate random annual inspection reports of facilities and ensure those reports are made public.
NDP Health Critic Adrian Dix said the amendments will allow seniors and their families to be better informed and will lead to better care.

“Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals say everything is fine, but seniors across the province and their families know there are real problems this government refuses to address,” said Dix. “This bill will give seniors and their families confidence that government is actually doing its job. They’ll be able to search an electronic registry and see inspection reports for themselves. Gordon Campbell may want to duck accountability, but seniors deserve to know that they are getting the best care possible. And where there are gaps in care, we can all work together to fill them instead of ignoring them.”

New Democrat Seniors’ Health Critic Guy Gentner said both pieces of legislation will help return confidence to a system the B.C. Liberals have stripped.

“In Kelowna this week a health worker told me she was once proud to do her job, but now she’s overwhelmed by the conditions and the inability to do her job,” said Gentner. “Another health care worker told me she was afraid to blow the whistle on what she thought were sub-standard conditions for seniors. And seniors themselves told me they don’t feel the system is meeting their needs. That has to change and these bills will bring accountability into the system, protect seniors and improve health care.”