WHEREAS provincial funding to properly equip and operate hospitals in British Columbia has been inadequate for a number of years; AND WHEREAS this lack of funding causes unfair inequities from community to community, and leaves some hospitals without equipment and others with high levels of resources: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government be urged to properly fund construction, resourcing, equipping and staffing of hospitals in this province.
Ministry of Health Since 2001, government has invested almost 7 billion in capital improvements to expand, modernize and upgrade hospitals and health-care facilities right across B.C. Over the next three years, British Columbias health care system will benefit from investments such as new medical equipment and modernized health facilities as part of a 1.9-billion health sector capital plan. To support health authorities in using health care dollars most efficiently and with maximum flexibility, the province implemented a multi-year capital budgeting system and a capital policy framework that encourages more innovative solutions to meeting capital needs e.g., public private partnerships; residential care service agreements. As there is not an unlimited supply of capital funding, health authorities and the Ministry must prioritize capital requests to ensure funds are directed to the facilities with the greatest need. While all health facilities regularly require replacement of medical equipment, no health facility in British Columbia goes unequipped. Ministry of Health funding to health authorities for the 201112 fiscal year will rise to over 9.6 billion an increase of 4.0 billion since 2001. Health authorities continue to spend approximately 60 percent of their total annual expenditures in the acute care sector. The Ministry continues to provide record levels of funding to the health care system, and by 201314 the health budget will have increased by more than 100 per cent since 200001. Total ministry spending will rise to a record 15.7 billion in 201112 compared to 8.3 billion in 200001. Total ministry spending is expected to rise to 16.8 billion by 201314 up 8.5 billion or an increase of more than 100 per cent since 200001. Even in tough economic times, we have honoured our commitment to protect health care with an additional 1.1 billion over the next two years.