Yesterday, the BC NDP government announced new initiatives aimed at tackling recruitment and retention issues in the health care sector and expanding health services to rural or remote communities.
The Community Bargaining Association (CBA) – which represents more than 25,000 health care workers, including 2,300 HEU members – will receive another $20 million to fund professional development and mental health and wellness supports for its members.
Incentives for workers living and working in rural and remote communities will increase, up to $8,000 a year for a full-time employee.
“We applaud the Ministry of Health’s expanding efforts to support public health care services through the new measures announced today,” said HEU’s interim secretary-business manager Lynn Bueckert.
“These additional tools, along with the government’s recent expansion of the provincial rural retention incentives program to attract and retain workers from across the health care team will continue to have a positive impact on the working and caring conditions in B.C.’s health sector.”
In the coming weeks, watch for further details about these initiatives, how they will be implemented, and how workers can access them.