BCMA Statement, re: BCAS Allegations of tax payer funding

UPDATE: March 27, 2012

The claims contained in both the letter to the Auditor General and in the BCAS news release are completely false and defamatory.  Any and all negotiated funds that are provided to the BCMA for the negotiated physician benefits are used for the purposes intended.  Further, all reporting and auditing requirements are complied with.

If the Auditor General chooses to pursue the unfounded allegations of the BCAS, the BCMA will cooperate fully with his review. Such a review will show that all monies provided for the physician benefits are managed in a way that is in complete compliance with our agreements with government and in a way that best serves the interests of the people of BC.
 

BCMA Statement on latest BCAS assertion

UPDATE: March 21, 2012

The BC Medical Association is reviewing the latest allegation from the BC Anesthesiology Society and the letter it sent to the BC Auditor General.  Until we have substantial information, we will not be commenting.

BCMA Statement on BCAS Proposed Service Withdrawal

March 13, 2012

The BCMA takes patient care issues and its agreements with the province very seriously. However, the BCMA does not support the withdrawal of services when signed agreements are in place, especially when the avenues to address disputes under those agreements have not been used.
 
Anesthetists had the same access as all other sections of doctors in the preparation for negotiations on the Physician Master Agreement and participated in the development of the BCMA mandate. The demand that Anesthetists should now have preferred access over all other physicians is unacceptable and is contrary to the constitution of the BCMA.  
 
The claim by the leadership of the British Columbia Anesthesiologists’ Society (BCAS) that the conciliation process for the Physician Master Agreement would provide them with a final and binding conclusion to their issues shows a lack of understanding of that process which provides no final and binding result for the quality of care issues that the BCAS claims to be championing. 
 
In 2009, the BCAS signed an agreement that included a process to have a report completed that will review, summarize and  make recommendations on all of the issues identified by anesthesiologists.  While the final report has not been completed, the recommendations that would be included in it were finished and tabled in 2009.  Both the BCMA and government are prepared to complete the final report and present it to the Physician Services Committee for review.  As per the 2009 agreement the BCAS signed, this gives them a process to have their issues heard. 
 
The BCMA is committed to representing all physicians in British Columbia in a fair, balanced and respectful way.  That includes honouring agreements once they are signed. It regrets that the leadership of the BCAS continues to refuse to do so and, instead, is threatening patient care in its drive for compensation increases.