| BC LIBERAL GOVERNMENT CAUCUS May 12, 2011 Health Services in Abbotsford Get Healthier ABBOTSFORD – Future health professionals training at the University of the Fraser Valley will receive $146,796 to renew and replace health education equipment. This will ensure students have access to the most cutting-edge health technology available, and get the hands-on experience they need to succeed in their chosen careers. Why this matters: •Lab equipment must continually be updated to reflect what is being used currently by health care services. This facility gives students learning experiences that simulate a health care setting and provides them with the opportunity to develop technical skills before entering the clinical environment. •B.C.’s post-secondary system is helping to provide faster, safer and better health care for individuals and families across British Columbia by ensuring that students in the health care professions have the tools and training they need to succeed in the future. This funding infusion will make sure that high-quality care is provided to patients across the province. Quotes: "Our government is dedicated to improving health care services, and the best place to start is with students. This funding will go a long way in ensuring the next generation of health care professionals gets the training they need to save lives and increase the quality of life for people throughout the province." -Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen "This funding will support the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for the new health sciences training facility we are building; an investment in the education of nurses and other health care professionals that will have both immediate and long-lasting benefits for us all." -University of the Fraser Valley President Mark Evered Additional information: Since 2001: •The Province has provided more than $1 billion in health related post-secondary funding to institutions across the province. •More than 20,000 nursing credentials have been awarded which has meant over 2,000 advanced specialty credentials and 17,000 new nurses for the Province. •The provincial government has funded more than 750 Health Care Assistant spaces across B.C. including almost 350 one-time spaces. •The number of first year medical school spaces in B.C. has doubled from 128 to 256. This will expand to 288 in 2011/12 with the start of the Southern Medical Program in Kelowna at UBC-Okanagan. •The Province has invested more than $2 billion in student financial assistance, making post-secondary education more accessible for students across the province. Learn more: For information about student aid programs for post-secondary training, go to http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/studentaidbc. -30- | |
| © 2007 Government Caucus of British Columbia. All Rights Reserved. |