The Province will be reducing the administrative burden on BC’s health-care practitioners with the introduction of Bill 11.
It was announced this (Tuesday) afternoon that it will bring changes to the Employment Standards Act, eliminating the need for workers to get sick notes for short-term absences from work.
Minister of Labour, Jennifer Whiteside said doctors have had to use appointment time to tick a box on a form for those not needing clinical intervention.
“We’ll be able to save doctors in this province thousands of hours of important time to allow people with minor illnesses to stay home and get better.”
“This is something that health professionals have wanted for a long time, and it does bring us in line with most jurisdictions in Canada.”
Whiteside added they will be consulting with health-care groups, small businesses and employers over the next couple months about appropriate short-term absence time, and how many short-term absences one can have in a calendar year.
Minister of Health, Josie Osborne said this change will take away some of the pressures faced at primary health clinics, urgent and primary care centres, walk-in clinics, and emergency departments.
“Requiring someone who is sick to leave their home just to get a sick note can often do more harm than good.” said Osborne.
“It can spread infectious diseases to others, it can delay a person’s recovery, while also making it harder for people who have more urgent issues to be able to see their health-care provider.”
Osborne added this is the first step to the broader effort in making the health-care system more efficient.
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