Frequently Asked Questions
Who is SWITCH BC?
Why do we need SWITCH BC?
What will you do?
How does your Board/governance work?
What will you do to help people working in healthcare as we move out of the pandemic?
How will you know if SWITCH BC is a success?
We are an independent, collaborative, not for profit organization. Our board is made up of union, employers, and physician representatives with advisors from the Ministry of Health and WorkSafeBC who make consensus decisions to support 300,000+ people working in healthcare across B.C. Please watch our About Us video.
Because unions, employers and physicians want to work together to make system-wide improvements for everyone working in healthcare.
Because injury rates, both physical and psychological, are increasing. Injuries in healthcare are twice as high as the provincial average. Health care aides are four times more likely to be injured at work. And 40% of all mental health injuries claims between 2018-2021 came from the healthcare sector.
Because everyone working in healthcare deserves access to the same high-quality health, safety and wellbeing programs and services. Please see our For You section for more information.
We will work with partners to identify the good work already underway – best practices in programs and services and make those available system-wide.
We have established a Technical Advisory Committee to advise us on what existing programs are having the greatest positive impact, and to further help us get those programs out to more people.
Where there are gaps in services and supports, we will work with partners and working groups to develop new programs that unions, employers and physicians all agree will have a positive impact and will help us make those programs available to everyone in healthcare. Please check out Programs for you section and our interactive map of programs offered throughout B.C.
Our board has 13 voting members, six representing unions, six representing employers and one representative for Doctors of BC. There are two observers from the Ministry of Health and WorkSafeBC. The nonvoting chair is appointed by the Minister of Health. Learn more about our Board of Directors.
The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone working in healthcare. Throughout this most challenging time, health care teams have demonstrated compassion, care and professionalism. And we thank them!
Worker fatigue is high, absenteeism and staff shortages are reported throughout B.C. Our strategic objectives set by our Board of Directors direct SWITCH BC to be part of the drive to change and improve the system. We need to create resilient workplaces to support workers who continue to show up for their patients, clients, residents, and coworkers every day. Please check out our pandemic recovery tool kits: for workers/individuals and for employers/leaders.
Our goal is collaborative solutions to make healthcare workplaces that are healthy, safe and support the wellbeing of everyone. Having consistent workplace prevention programs and the province-wide implementation of occupational health and safety programs, aligned with Canadian standards (CSA), is our aim.