My rage seal about health care in BC has cracked again. Let me take you on a journey of inane public health bureaucracy. I can't take it anymore. Stick with me. 1/
Two years ago I worked with multiple local groups including our local public health outpost (great folks by the way) to set up a mass flu shot clinic in my small community. We worked extremely hard to provide a COVID safe environment. We immunized 1500 people that weekend. 2/
This was despite inexplicable push back from higher up public health officials. They provided hoops to jump through and begrudging support. The following year we attempted to do the same thing. They provided even less support. We still manged to immunize close to 1000 people. 3/
This year we have been told that flu shots will be done through the COVID vaccine clinic by "invitation" only. Don't even get me started on the immediate barrier an invitation system creates. Why create ANY barriers to immunization? Just immunize people as quickly as possible. 4/
I work in a clinic with 6 other doctors, in one of the best functioning teams I've ever encountered. We chose a day, everyone agreed to work an extra day to participate, and we created a plan to give flu shots to approximately 450 of our patients in one day. 5/
Our wonderful patients have been asking since August when flu shots will be available. The average age in my community is ~55. VERY keen to not get the flu. What do you think the response from public health was when we asked if we could order immunizations to run this clinic? 6/
We were told that under no circumstance would they provide us with flu shots for this purpose. We would be provided with enough to immunize patients who require home visits or those in long-term care only. So maybe 50 doses? Everyone else will be required to go through them. 7/
Oh but don't worry, they can also go through pharmacies too. So patients can go anywhere BUT their family doctor. My clinic alone is offering to immunize 450 people in ONE DAY and they won't let us. I dare public health to come close to that number. 8/
Again, our local public health folks are wonderful. The nurses and all those involved in the clinic locally are wonderful. My anger is directed at the layers of (expensive) bureaucracy higher up that came up with this ridiculously inefficient system of delivery. 9/
This is why family doctors are burning out. We literally came up with a flu shot clinic plan and had buy in from every single member of our clinic in a comfortable FIFTEEN MINUTES. My patients are desperate for flu shots. I am desperate to not see influenza this winter. 10/
So as it stands we are not allowed to have COVID vaccines or influenza vaccines in our clinics to provide to our patients. I don't know why any barriers to immunization are acceptable at this stage. Let us help. This. Isn't. Hard. 11/
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