Quick Links Visit our website Who we are How we work What we do BCHC Member Profile Carnegie Community Centre The Carnegie Community Centre provides a range of social, recreational and educational programs for the residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. It is often described as the community's living room - a place where people can come to participate in programs or to simply relax and socialize with others. The Centre is a testament to the strength and commitment of Downtown Eastside residents in their struggle to renew and build a healthy community for people with low incomes and many different life styles and backgrounds. Read more... Sign up for BCHC Action Alerts The BC Health Coalition will soon be e-mailing "Action Alerts" to members and supporters that target important health care issues and allow people to immediately respond to elected officials and others via e-mail. If you are not currently a BCHC member or supporter, please e-mail the BC Health Coalition office to sign up and receive our Action Alerts. Resources   Campaign for a National Drug Plan     Working TV has produced a Webcast of the December 10, 2007 BC FORUM (BC Federation of Retired Union Members) public hearing at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, part of the Canadian Health Coalition's Campaign for a National Drug Plan. Click here to view the webcast Community Events   World Community Film Festival     Rights, Reels and Resistance is the theme of this year's World Community Film Festival, taking place February 8th to 10th at Langara College, Vancouver. The seventh annual film festival features documentaries set around the globe about social justice and environmental issues. This year's theme reflects the urgent need to acknowledge and celebrate resistance and the fight for human rights in communities across the world. It is especially important at a time when we often feel swamped by waves of reaction and repression. The more we learn from other struggles, the more inspired we will be to create a different world. The Opening Night Gala Features the documentary !Salud!, that tells the little-known story of Cuba: a poor country overcoming its lack of resources to provide universal health care and help other developing nations do the same. Click here to view the Festival Website	January 2008 Stop For-Profit Health Care! You have rights. Defend them. Say NO to for-profit clinics' user-fees and extra billing. This year the BC Health Coalition will be raising the alarm on the practices of private, for-profit surgical clinics and diagnostic facilities that regularly charge fees and bill patients for their services. And we'll be demanding that the provincial government enforce the Canada Health Act and prohibit the charging of user-fees and extra billing by any health care provider for insured medical services. In BC, the expansion of the private, for-profit surgical and medical clinic industry is virtually unchecked, and the BCHC is concerned that the provincial government plans to continue the contracting out of surgeries to for-profit clinics. Medically necessary services, whether at a doctor's office, a hospital, a surgical centre or a diagnostic clinic, are publicly insured and fully paid for through Medicare. This right is protected under the Canada Health Act and under provincial legislation. We'll be collecting stories from people across the province who have been referred to a private clinic and been forced to pay out-of-pocket to access medically necessary services. We want to make sure you aren't charged twice for medical services, and we want to see health care delivered for people and not for profits. It's time to defend our Medicare rights! This means fighting for-profit clinics and other forms of privatization. Our fight against private payment for medically necessary care is part of a bigger fight for non-profit, high quality health care available to all. Watch our website for up-to-date information! Click here to e-mail Health Minister George Abbott and that the government act now to prohibit the charging of user-fees and extra billing by any for-profit health care provider for publicly insured medical services. BCHC Campaign to Promote Seniors' Health Issues in 2008 The BC Health Coalition Continuum of Care working group has developed a new campaign plan to promote seniorsÕ health issues. Campaign activities for 2008 include: Conducting a survey of care facilities Preparing a new discussion paper on seniors' health care Recruiting a seniors' health champion Hosting a seniors' health activist strategy session in late April Developing a new kit of campaign materials on seniors' health care Organizing a campaign tour in the Fall You can take action by: Joining our province-wide continuum of care network--the network shares information and has bi-monthly conference calls to discuss seniors' health issues. Sharing a personal story about seniors' health care. Attending the April seniors' health strategy session. To join the network, let us know about a personal story, or sign up for the seniors' strategy session, please contact the BC Health Coalition office at 604-681-7945 or email coordinator@bchealthcoaltion.ca "Conversation on Health" Results: B.C. Wants Public Health Care. But will Government Listen? On November 30, 2007, the BC government released their summary report of your input into the Conversation on Health. The 1500-plus-page document summarized participant's concerns, and desires for the future of health care in British Columbia. A number of "themes" emerged including the need for a strong, sustainable public health care system that uses innovation to address key issues such as long wait lists and the need for more primary care and home support services. The BC Health Coalition will be watching closely to see if the governmentÕs actions in the upcoming months reflect the direction from British Columbians coming out of the Conversation. During the Conversation, the BC Ministry of Health has continued on a course to hand over public health care dollars to the private sector. This direction does not reflect what we have so clearly heard throughout the past year in communities across the province. Now is the time to continue to build support for public health care in your community! To learn more about a health coalition near you, please contact the BC Health Coalition office at 604-681-7945 or email coordinator@bchealthcoaltion.ca Click here to learn more about the Friends of Medicare Campaign BCHC Activist wins Citizen of the Year Award Long time seniors' advocate and key member of the Cranbrook Concerned Citizens, Gary Lancaster was named Cranbrook's 2007 Citizen of the Year. Gary was honored with the community's highest award at a Chamber of Commerce dinner on January 12. Gary has worked tirelessly to promote senior's rights in his community. He has also been an active member of the BC Health Coalition and has served as either a member or in an executive capacity for several organizations including the East Kootenay Railway Pensioners Association, the Cranbrook Caregivers Support Group, the East Kootenay Caregivers Network, the East Kootenay Foundation for Health, the Cranbrook Senior Citizens Association and the Seniors Network of B.C. Gary was born and raised in Cranbrook and is a retired CP Rail Manager. He and his wife Dorothy raised two boys in Cranbrook and the family ranched for several years near Cherry Creek. From all of us at the BC Health Coalition: Congratulations Gary!! BC Municipalities Endorse Health Coalition Home Support Resolution! At its November 29, 2007 meeting, the Union of BC Municipalities executive endorsed a resolution from the City of Fort St. John that was initially brought forward at the UBCM AGM in September and is based on the BCHC draft resolution that was endorsed by 28 BC municipalities. The resolution calls on the Province of British Columbia to: Halt further cutbacks to home support service, ensure that home support is a universal program, including full and part-time positions. Overcome staff shortages by improving and standardizing training, implementing competitive wage schedules for workers and developing an active recruitment program for home support workers, including new workers from aboriginal and ethno-cultural communities, and Create an appeal board for people to dispute their home support assessment that is both impartial and representative of seniors and people with disabilities. Click here to learn more about the BCHC Home Support Campaign New Nanaimo-Ladysmith Health Coalition holds inaugural meeting! The first meeting of the new Nanaimo-Ladysmith Health Coalition will be held: Tuesday January 28, 2008 2:00pm- 4:00pm Nanaimo Aquatic Centre In the meeting Room to the right of the entrance For more information please contact Mitzi Arthur at 753-0464. Come and join with others to strengthen public health care in your community! return to top
BC Health Coalition • 411 Dunsmuir Street Vancouver, BC V6B 1X4 P: 604-681-7945 • F: 604-681-7947 • Email: info@bchealthcoalition.ca