DOCTORS AND nurses could come out relatively unscathed by provincial gov- ernment attempts lo cut health care costs, says health services minister Colin Hansen. But the same can’t be said for health care support workers employed across the province, Hansen added last week, At the core of the issue are changes to public sector health union contracts. The old contracts contain clauses the current govern- ment finds expensive, such as severance provisions, and don’t allow the contracting out of services such as cleaning, cooking and lab work. Hansen said the government will look at all options to cut costs and live within three years of budget freezes. “The bottom line is we have to look at ways of allo- caling resources, of delivering effective patient care within a fixed envelope,” said Hansen. “Nol everyone can assume they can have a job for life.” Hansen said that every dollar saved can then be pul into direct patient care. The current total health care budget of $9.5 billion is to be frozen over the next three years. In effect, that’s a cut because of inflation. The one area where the provincial government can cut costs is in what it pays for labour and that’s where the majority of changes will occur, But doctors and nurses might not be put into the same position as support workers, said Hansen. “There are recruitment and retention issues and we know nurses, for instance, are in short supply. We have to be careful not to exacerbate the problem,” he said. The last sgveral years have seen both doctors and nurses pulting tremendous pressure on the province, say- ing not only that more of them were needed, but that they needed to be paid more io keep them in British Co- Jumbia. Registered nurses refused to do all but essential ser- vices last year in a contract dispute which bepan under the previous NDP government and ended when the new Liberal government legislated a three-year contract. And doctors, in particular ones working in rural and remote areas, received substantial increases at the be- ginning of 2001. Those came after they refused to do non-emergency work in the fal! of 2000. The issue of doctor pay isn’t over as both the province and the doctors are waiting for the results of binding ar- bitration. The problem and challenge for the province is that Eight seniors hit by bus pass hike to $240 a year ABOUT EIGHT local seniors will be affected by pravin- cial government cuts to a discount bus pass that costs $45 a year. That represents aboul one-third of the people using the B.C. Bus Pass here, said Jerry Peltier, manager of Coastal Bus Lines, the company that operates the Ter- race Regional Transit System. Instead, those seniors can buy a monthly pass worth $20, amounting to $240 over the course of a year, said Peltier. About 25 riders - a group that includes both seniors and people with disabilities - use B.C. Bus Passes to tide the transit system on a regular basis, he said. In what's become one of the most widely- -criticized decisions included in the range of civil service cutbacks announced Jan. 17, some senior citizens will no longer be eligible for B.C. Bus Passes. The cutbacks only apply to seniors who receive fed- eral guaranteed income support or a federal spouse’s al- lowance. Terrace hasn’t been nearly as hard hit as other com- munities in B.C. that have a large number of seniors and retirees. Passes purchased for this year remain in effect until Dec, 31. Colin Hansen FUP GUS OV EUEUVEVEEESTYY Fer She Perfect | Valentines Day Gift © Crystal ° Jewelery ¢ Leather Purses ® Collectables * Hairstyling ® Hair Products SEEESEEE SEEKS STKE EE KEE ELEC ECE aaes "47440 Keith Ava, 638-3729 A12-The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 30, 2002 Docs, nurses could escape worst of health service cuts the arbitration award is to be retroactive to last April 1. And that raises the prospect of a massive lump sum retroactive payment to doctors in addition to the annual fee increase they will get. “The dilemma we have is we have no idea of the ret- roactive settlement,” said Hansen. “Tm in discussions with the finance minister on this topic.” There are suggestions the arbitration award could amount to $250 million a year or more, Whatever the size of the award, it’s money that will have to come. out-of. frozen health. caré budgets, said. Hansen. “The bottom line is that everything we do is a zero sum game. To free up money for patient care, it has to come from someplace else.” Hansen held out some hope that money he expects to save by cutting employees within his ministry will be. added to patient services. 9 SAFEWAY Want A Photo? ‘Did you see a photo inthe paper dit you want at copy ol? The Terrace Stanelard along with Narhern Photo Lec. now provides this service. Come inte our office located wl3210 Clinton Street and inclicite the photo of your choice and size. Aly 6" 5x 7 Gther sizes available. Phone for pricing. Price inches Prnting fs fee hen Northern Photo ane purchasing fen bom the Terence Standard All photocyrrophs cits cepytayliteed tev the terrace Straorecl ve ” STANDARD £ SCI probe unde ay Deter his the [Note: 90% of photos token ore digital phatos - of high quality jpeg. Block cond while prints olse eveilable ike black and while negatives } northern photo "Your Headquarters For Digital Cameras And Digital Imaging Services 4 A736 lobele Avenue “ Ph: 638-7283 __ _—_ roe STANDARD Fax: 638-8432 fb: zi Stouffer's _.. dkillet/Oven ay Sensations ( Assorted vaneties, a 640 9. | Carnation BUY ONE STOUFFER’S SRILLETIO' SENSATIONS AND ONE CARN. HOT CHOCGLATE AND GET 10 BONUS. |p AIR MILES'- reward miles. Saleway Club’ Price, Fresh Pork “Spartan Loin Roast Apples Boneless. Product of Canada. Centre Cut. _, Fancy Grade. a ilb. 7 e 1.74ikg - Saleway Club Price" - * visit our at i nnsasierye n Kraft Dinner Green Giant ABC Laundry Hot House Macaroni & Cheese Vegetables Detergent Daffodils Criginal. 225 x i GEA A d varieties. A d varieties. Bunch of 5. FIRST EIGHT TY se Sod ae rs iat eh eee > * Pe ee NE Te ee aes Co a ee ee - - > ‘ id a > a