Government announces Community Health Worker Registry

After months of hard work by the UFCW Local 1518, the other community health unions, employer and the government, the province has announced the launch of a new Community Health Care worker registry.

Titled the BC Care Aid and Community Health Worker Registry the registry will set in place a standard of training for new graduating Community Health Workers, but as important the registry will ensure a fair process for investigating allegations of abuse against CHW’s.

The Union insisted on being part of the development of the registry in order to make sure the government acted in a fair manner in setting certification requirements, but more importantly, in making sure that any investigative process brought on by allegations of patient abuse against a member were conducted thoroughly, openly and with fairness.

“The setting of a standardized, province wide curriculum for training CHW’s recognizes the incredibly valuable contribution our members making in meeting the care and health needs of the elderly and infirm citizens in our communities,” said UFCW Local 1518 President Ivan Limpright.

While allegations of patient abuse against Community Health Care workers are rare it is critically important that our members know there is a fair and transparent process through which they can defend themselves against false allegations.

The Union will provide members with the information they require to be in compliance with the new registry by the April 28 deadline. That information will be available soon.