National

Health complaints top B.C. advocate's list

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Oct, 2022 01:35 PM

VICTORIA - Complaints about British Columbia's health-care system to the provincial ombudsperson have reached a 10-year high.

Jay Chalke's annual report for 2021-2022 says the office received almost 1,300 complaints or inquiries focused on programs and services provided by the Ministry of Health.

The figure is more than 15 per cent of all 8,215 complaints lodged with the office in that period.

Chalke says in a news release that health care was top of mind for those who reached out to his office, with complaints ranging from visitor restrictions for long-term care to surgery delays, and COVID-19 measures to quality of care.

It says the Ministry of Health, the Insurance Corporation of B.C. and the Ministry of Children and Family Development were the top three most complained about public bodies.

Among the problems Chalke's office says it solved was that of a lottery winner whose $150,000 cheque was withheld because the B.C. Lottery Corp. tried to insist on signed waivers from friends who were with the woman when she bought the ticket.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Vivesh Kochher and AVR Drywall Recycling Ltd. fined $20,000 by WorkSafe BC for knowingly exposing employees to asbestos

WorkSafeBC’s investigation determined that Mr. Kochher had failed to ensure the health and safety of between 13 and 15 workers, by knowingly exposing them to asbestos-containing material.

Vivesh Kochher and AVR Drywall Recycling Ltd. fined $20,000 by WorkSafe BC for knowingly exposing employees to asbestos

Canada's COVID-19 vaccines starting to expire

The 1.5 million expired doses amount to less than two per cent of the 118 million doses delivered to Canada since December 2020. There are more than 18 million doses in Canada's national stockpile at the moment, the vast majority of which will expire in the next four mont

Canada's COVID-19 vaccines starting to expire

Trudeau touts budget as bank raises interest rate

Trudeau told reporters today in the Montreal area that the recently tabled budget includes measures to help with the high cost of housing, including a tax-free savings account buyers can use to purchase a first home starting next year.

Trudeau touts budget as bank raises interest rate

Bank of Canada increases interest rate to 1 percent

The central bank hiked its policy interest rate by half a percentage point to one per cent on Wednesday. Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said inflation is too high and is expected to stay elevated for longer than the bank previously thought.

Bank of Canada increases interest rate to 1 percent

One dead as tree topples across Vancouver road

A statement from police says it happened just after 5 p.m. Tuesday on Marine Way in southeast Vancouver. They say the victim was alone in a sedan when the tree toppled across all three westbound lanes, crushing the vehicle's passenger compartment.

One dead as tree topples across Vancouver road

Crews search water off Nanaimo, B.C., for man

Police say they were called Monday evening to a report that a woman had fallen overboard and a vessel from the Nanaimo Port Authority found her clinging to a rope tied to an anchored sailboat. But police say the man, who is believed to be the woman's 59-year-old partner, has not been seen.