FHA Shifts Resources to Community Care

Fraser Health Authority (FHA) is shifting resources from acute care to community and long term care. Fraser Health expects this will alleviate congestion in hospitals and ensure acute care services can be provided in a safe and efficient manner. However, BCNU is very concerned about the impact to patients as some beds are being closed.

We are already seeing serious overcapacity problems in hospitals in Fraser Health, particularly in emergency rooms. Patients are waiting too long for beds on wards and safe patient care is being compromised. We have advised FHA in the strongest possible terms of our concerns about these problems.

As part of this process, some nurses will have the opportunity to move into community care. BCNU wants to reassure members that we have negotiated an agreement with Fraser Health to protect all nurses' positions.

No nurses are losing their jobs!

Here are some key elements in the Letter of Agreement that BCNU has negotiated with Fraser Health in order to protect nurses and ensure safe patient care:

• No nurses will lose work.
• Nurses will not be forced to change their work locations. Appropriate accommodations will be made to have nurses stay in the hospitals that they work in. Where positions are being deleted, nurses affected will have the first right to follow their work; e.g. from hospital to community or long term care. This will be done on the seniority basis. And if nurses decide to use their seniority to displace other nurses, the same guarantee will be enforced.
• Fraser Health will not use care aides to replace nurses.
• All nurses affected will be provided with the appropriate internal education and enhanced orientation to stay employed.
• BCNU is very concerned about current overcapacity issues, especially in ERs and the problems it's causing for safe patient care.
• About 25 RNs and 25 LPNs will be transferred to community care.

BCNU is involved in ongoing discussions with Fraser Health as more nurses are needed in the community to provide safe patient care.

As part of an overall agreement between health authorities and the BC Nurses' Union, health authorities are committed to hire over 1600 nurses by March 31. Fraser Health's obligation is to hire 400 nurses.

For more information contact your steward.