Opposition says leaked document shows radiation waits may be longer than reported
A document leaked to the opposition party, B.C. United, shows radiation wait times may be even worse than previously reported by the health minister.
On Monday Adrian Dix announced some B.C. cancer patients would be given the option to travel to Washington state for treatment due to long waits here and increasing demand.
A series of graphs from a dashboard -- that appears to be from B.C. Cancer -- suggests fewer than 80 per cent of people are getting their radiation therapy in 28 days, the ideal amount of time.
On Monday, health minister Adrian Dix said the latest number he had was 82.9 per cent. It's unclear if he was referring to the leaked data.
At an unrelated event, Dix was asked whether the province waited too long to act.
"People will always say when you're taking action that it could've been taken a day sooner or a time sooner, but this is pretty decisive action, in addition to a massive cancer plan which focuses on research, health human resources and getting more care to patients," Dix said.
For health critic Shirley Bond, the key message from the leaked document is that the scenario is potentially worse than what's been described.
"Information is coming from cancer care providers, people who are very likely afraid to speak out, specifically, but the situation in terms of how many people are actually being seen within the benchmark wait times appears to be significantly lower than has been talked about publicly," Bond told CTV News.
The opposition is calling on the minister to release more data so British Columbians can know exactly what's going on. They're also flagging other long waits in the cancer care journey that they say also need to be addressed.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information has data which shows B.C. has the worst outcomes when it comes to waits for radiation therapy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
Ontario's need for nurses, PSWs to top 33K and 50K by 2032: document
Ontario will need 33,200 more nurses and 50,853 more personal support workers by 2032, the government projects — figures it tried to keep secret but were obtained by The Canadian Press.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
'It happened so fast': Evacuees describe fleeing Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire
Thousands have been forced to flee a wildfire burning near Fort Nelson. Meanwhile, some experienced volunteers are staying behind to fight the fire.