Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, has issued the following statement in recognition of Health Care Assistant Day on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022:

“In observance of Health Care Assistant Day, I encourage people to show their appreciation for the multi-faceted and vital roles our health-care assistants play in B.C.’s public health-care system.

“Health-care assistants go by many titles. They are nurse assistants, community-health workers, home-support workers, personal-support workers and resident-care assistants.

“They provide support and personal care in a variety of settings, including group homes, assisted living, community care, acute-care hospitals and long-term care homes. They show up every day to support our loved ones with chronic complex conditions, physical or cognitive disabilities and support those who require end-of-life care. They take care of our elderly and most vulnerable.

“In British Columbia, there are more than 44,000 registered health-care assistants ensuring that the people in our communities receive the best care possible. The work they do demands immeasurable compassion, kindness and commitment, and they continue to meet that demand through the COVID-19 pandemic and the toxic drug crises.

“They inspire us to do all that we can to support them, so they can continue to provide the best care possible to people in B.C. As of September 2022, almost 4,000 participants have been hired into the Health Care Access Program.

“Starting as a health-care support worker, those who are accepted to the Health Career Access Program are paid for their time and have their course fees covered, while receiving the training and education to become registered as a fully qualified health-care assistant. The program is part of a broader strategy to recruit 7,000 health-care workers throughout B.C.

“Your work truly makes a difference in the lives of British Columbians. On behalf of us all, thank you.”