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“Continuing professional development is critical to ensuring success in recruiting and retaining the specialized health science professionals who are so important on the modern health care team." —Val Avery, HSABC President.
Vancouver (05 Sept. 2018) — Health Sciences Association of B.C. (HSABC/NUPGE) is pleased to announce a new $3-million professional development fund aimed at supporting members of the health care team to undertake professional development to increase specialization, improve health care service to rural and remote areas of B.C., and to meet ongoing requirements for professional development. The fund is available to health science professionals who work under the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) collective agreement.
Ministry of Health's funding contribution welcomed
“Continuing professional development is critical to ensuring success in recruiting and retaining the specialized health science professionals who are so important on the modern health care team,” said Val Avery, HSABC President.
“This infusion of funding is long overdue. For years, the government has been warned about, and aware of, increasing shortages in professions like ultrasound, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and perfusion — to name just a few,” she said.
“I want to thank Health Minister the Hon. Adrian Dix, for taking concrete action that will pay dividends into the future in the form of improved access to specialized health care services when and where British Columbians need it," continued Avery.
Fund to focus on training and improving access to health care
“This commitment to training is an important signal that the new government is wrestling to address a failure to focus on human resources planning for the past 2 decades, and we look forward to continuing to work with government and health authorities on strategies and actions that improve access to care across the province,” Avery said.
The fund focuses on supporting professional development in 3 areas:
- $1 million to encourage HSPBA members to retrain for health science professions experiencing shortages in B.C.
- $1 million to enhance professional development opportunities for health science professionals working in rural or remote areas of B.C.
- $1 million to assist health science professionals across the province to meet ongoing requirements for professional development.
All health science professionals covered by the HSPBA collective agreement, which includes members of HSABC/NUPGE, BCGEU/NUPGE, CUPE, PEA, and HEU, are eligible to apply for funding.