BC seniors protected by rigorous safeguards: Care Providers Association

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – As a small-town Ontario nurse faces first-degree murder charges in connection to the deaths of eight seniors, the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) is assuring the public that nurses in this province are subject to a rigorous regulatory system.

Health professions in BC are governed by 22 regulatory colleges, tasked with ensuring that all members are qualified, competent, and following a strict set of ethical standards.

“I would say that if anyone is hearing and watching what’s happening in Ontario, they can feel confident that there are a lot of safeguards in place to make sure that their loved ones are protected,” says Association CEO Daniel Fontaine.

“Everything from automated medication management, straight through to having eyes and ears in the residential care setting; there’s a lot of staff coming in and out.”

He adds that whenever there’s an unexpected death in a care home, that is, where there were no symptoms of health decline beforehand, the coroner’s office is called in to conduct an independent investigation.

However, Fontaine notes that health care assistants, or care aides, are not regulated by the colleges, yet share the same level of access to seniors as the doctors and nurses who are.

“We want to make sure that the care aides fall under the same strict type of standards that other professions would fall under,” he says. “That is an area where we have been very vocal with the government to indicate that we think that should be strengthened.”

Forty-nine-year-old Elizabeth Wettlaufer appeared in court this morning and has been remanded in custody. Police are not ruling out the possibility of further charges.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today