The Report

The Report: December 2006 vol.27 num.6by CINDY STEWART n just four short months, HSA members will elect the unions first new president in 14 years. As I announced at the 2006 annual convention, I will not be seeking reelection at the 2007 convention.The role of HSA president has certainly evolved in the unions 35-year history. In particular, significant changes have...

The Report: December 2006 vol.27 num.6 by SARAH OLEARY While moving a patient on the xray table, I felt something -pop" inmy back. It really hurt! But I stayed at work, because if I wenthome, my coworkers would be left even more short-staffed, and Ididnt think it would be fair to them. I filled out the hospitals injury report (not...

The Report: December 2006 vol.27 num.6 hes an award-winning health science professional. Shes an HSAsteward. And shes a Prince George city councillor and communityactivist. -Its lots of work," says Debora Muñoz. -I dont think the general public has any clue as to the magnitude of the amount of work involved," she says about her role as city councillor. -There are...

The Report: December 2006 vol.27 num.6 by LAURA BUSHEIKIN angam Grant laughs as she describes the typical response to her job: -When someone asks what I do, I say I work in an agency for HIV-positive women. Most of the time peoples reaction is ‘Oh, my God.' -They think it must be terribly hard and depressing and that I must...

The Report: September / October 2006 vol.27 num.5by CINDY STEWART n this issue of The Report, you will be introduced to Kit Farrar, a founding member of the union and an instrumental player in establishing the Health Sciences Association. Kit was a dietitian working at Lions Gate Hospital and nearing retirement when she got together with other health science professionals...

The Report: September / October 2006 vol.27 num.5 by ALISON HIETANEN My child has received a life threatening diagnosis and I really feel the need to be at home caring for her. I dont have enough hours in my sick bank to get through the five-month waiting period should I apply for long term disability. On top of all that...

The Report: September / October 2006 vol.27 num.5 by LAURA BUSHEIKIN ts a short term residential rehab program for frail elderly medically complex clients," is how social worker Cindy Stefani defines the GEM Program. But that rather dry collection of words does not begin to describe what GEM really does. For most patients, The GEM program means the difference between...

The Report: September / October 2006 vol.27 num.5 by MIRIAM SOBRINO it Farrar, a dietitian who helped start the Health Sciences Association in the early 1970s, died August 14, 2006 aged 91. She served as HSAs first president and executive director. Farrar was born October 16, 1915 in Sutherland, a small town northwest of Saskatoon. Her parents, who emigrated from...

The Report: August 2006 vol.27 num.4by CINDY STEWART n the day that Gordon Campbell visited Surrey with an announcement ofa new-outpatient centre" to augment health careservices in that city ...widely speculated to be the most bold introduction of private healthcare into our system ...the governments strongest and most effectiveadvocatefor thoughtful, managed and successful public health carereform threw in the towel...

The Report: August 2006 vol.27 num.4 by SARAH OLEARY Because of a permanent workplace injury in 1999, I was awarded a partial disability pension from the Workers Compensation Board in 2001. My condition has since worsened. I have heard from my occupational health and safety steward that WCB benefits havebeen severely curtailed under the BC Liberal government. Is this true...