B.C.’s Health Minister suggests people will start to see the impact of the new nurse-to-patient ratios by this fall.

Adrian Dix says changes are already being rolled out in acute care settings across the province, with the programs to support it set to be fully in effect as of April 1.

“Some (of the programs) are in place now, but some places (it will be by) April 1st, so it is a go now,” Dix said. “I think patients will start to see some of the impacts of it this fall. Then we will just make progress after that – facility by facility – which is the only way to do it.”

The ministry said it will continue to work with the BC Nurses Union to set ratios for any remaining hospital settings, as well as long-term care, assisted living, and other non-hospital settings.

“We’re working with the BC Nurses Union which is an important partnership to see that it’s implemented; this is a collective effort to make British Columbia the best place to be a nurse in the world,” added Dix.

Speaking on NL Newsday, Dix was asked what holds the government accountable for fully implementing and maintaining this new staffing model.

“What holds government accountable is our commitment with our nurses and our commitment to the public and that we are moving this staffing model to this model, so this our direction, this is what we are funding, and this is what we are driving forward,” he said.

The Ministry of Health has also committed $237.6 million to support the new minimum ratios and help recruit, retain, and train nurses in B.C.

“We have used some of the money from our bilateral agreement with the Federal Government to support this,” Dix said.

Dix says Friday’s announcement to implement the minimum nursing ratios in B.C., is a historic move.

“It is innovative, we are the first jurisdiction in Canada and the second in North America to do this and the specifics of the nurse ratio program, the 24/7 aspect of it, we are the only jurisdiction in the world going down this path.”