Ministry of Health (British Columbia)

Ministry of Health
Provincial ministry overview
Type public health insurance and services
Jurisdiction province of British Columbia
Headquarters Victoria, British Columbia
Annual budget $17.4 Billion Canadian dollar 2015-16
Ministers responsible
Deputy Ministers responsible
Child agencies
Website health.gov.bc.ca
Map

The Ministry of Health is a provincial government department responsible for British Columbia's health system, with a mandate to guide and enhance the province's health services to ensure British Columbians are supported in their efforts to maintain and improve their health.

Its annual budget for 2012–13 is $16.2 billion.[1] The Ministry leads and manages health programs such as the Medical Services Plan (physician services), PharmaCare (prescription drug coverage) for BC residents. The majority of direct health services are delivered through partnerships with health authorities, physicians and other health professionals. The ministry works with five regional health authorities (Fraser Health, Interior Health, Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health and Vancouver Island Health Authority) and one province-wide health authority (the Provincial Health Services Authority) which is responsible for specialized health services.

The Provincial Health Officer is an independent officer with a focus on public and population health who reports to government through the ministry.

Minister

The current Minister of Health is Terry Lake.

During the first term of the Gordon Campbell government, a separate Ministry of Health Planning was created (led by Sindi Hawkins) but that ministry was later merged back into the main ministry. During the same period there were also two Ministers of State, one for Seniors and another for Mental Health and Addictions.

Former ministers

List of former ministers
Term StartTerm End Minister
1991 Bruce Strachan
November 1991 September 1993 Elizabeth Cull
September 1993 February 1996 Paul Ramsey (politician)[2]
February 1996 June 1996Andrew Petter[2]
June 1996 February 1998Joy MacPhail[2]
February 1998 February 2000 Penny Priddy[2]
February 2000 November 2000Mike Farnworth[2]
November 2000 June 2001Corky Evans[2]
June 2001 December 2004Colin Hansen[2]
December 2004 June 2005Shirley Bond[2]
June 2005 June 2009George Abbott (politician)[2]
June 2009 November 2010 Kevin Falcon[2]
November 2010 March 2011Colin Hansen[2]
March 2011 September 2012Mike de Jong[2]
September 2012 June 2013Margaret MacDiarmid[2]
June 2013 INCUMBENTTerry Lake[2]

References

  1. ↑ Ministry of Health (February 2012). "2012/13 – 2014/15 service plan" (PDF). Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Fayerman, Pamela (March 14, 2015). "How many health ministers does it take to run B.C.’s medical system….?". Medicine Matters Blog (Vancouver Sun). Retrieved 28 August 2015.

See also

External links

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