My name is Alex Imperial from HEU.
HEU is the oldest health care union in British Columbia and represents 50,000 members working for public, non-profit and private employers. HEU members work in all areas of the health care system, providing both direct and non-direct care services: acute care hospitals, residential care facilities, community group homes, outpatient clinics, medical labs, community social services and first nation health agencies.
Workplace violence is a widespread problem in the health care industry. Violence affects workers in all occupations and settings across the sector. Our care aides frequently experience violence in the workplace, witness and respond to violent incidents and often face threats and intimidation. While physical injuries are of significant concern, the psychological toll of workplace trauma is an emerging issue for our members.
Health care workers now have the highest injury rate of any sector in the province. In long-term care, the injury rate is four times higher than the provincial average. In B.C., according to WCB statistics, health care assistants suffer more injuries than workers in any other occupation and have the highest rate of injuries from violence. They accounted for approximately 16,000 injuries with time lost from work in the past five years, 15% of which was related to violence.
We also know that in health care the compensated claims under-represent the problem. There are multiple independent systems that collect reports of violence from health care workers across B.C. Without a standard integrated system to collect and analyze data, it is impossible to truly estimate the incidents of violence. Lack of centralized information also challenges efforts to identify and address contributing factors for violence that are shared or driven by the system. Research supports our belief that, for a variety of reasons, under-reporting is widespread across the sector. A national strategy or approach for standardized data collection and reporting of violence is recommended.
Our members experience various forms of violence along a spectrum from verbal abuse and threats to physical and sexual assault from patients, residents, clients and even family members. Our members are slapped, kicked, punched, pushed, spat at and grabbed. They endure being yelled at and threatened. These forms of violence result in emotional, physical and financial hardship for our members and their families.
I'm going to give the committee an example of one care aide who was kicked in the face, which resulted in a broken jaw. The trauma resulted in PTSD and chronic pain. The member was off work for a year while on workers' compensation. She is now back at work but is earning less than what she was earning prior to the injury. She is now battling the WCB, which refuses to pay a fair permanent disability claim. Currently, she still experiences dizziness, pain and confusion.
What are the effects of violence in the workplace on our members?
The first is the loss of income. Even if they qualify for workers' compensation or LTD, it will not make them whole, as the WCB will pay only 90% of net; and for LTD, in most cases, will pay only 70%.
Second, they are never the same. Sometimes injuries result in permanent physical and psychological disabilities. Access to treatment can be an issue. They will suffer through pain, anxiety, depression and fear for the rest of their lives, and WCB and LTD will be financially responsible only up to age 65.
Third, violence results in the social isolation of members who are unable to return to their pre-injury job—more so if members are unable to go back to any kind of work at all. We note that some of our members have limited skills and experience to adapt to another occupation. The satisfaction and the connection provided by work and co-workers is gone, the future is uncertain and members need to reinvent their lives to manage, sometimes without success.
Fourth, violence impacts our members' families, which end up providing support both financially and emotionally. In some cases, the effects of the injuries due to violence result in relationship breakdown. Life is disrupted not only for the victim of violence, but also for the family and loved ones.