BC College of Family Physicians issues report card for political parties; highest marks to NDP

The BC College of Family Physicians has issued its report card on the election platforms of the province's three main political parties, and it gives the highest marks to New Democrat proposals.

The NDP, Liberal and Green platforms could receive a maximum of 10 points on each of four issues, access to a family doctor, Indigenous health, pandemic readiness and the overdose crisis.

Liberals scored six out of ten on all four questions, the Greens received a perfect ten on proposals to handle the overdose crisis, eight for access to a family doctor and Indigenous health but only two out of 10 for pandemic response.

With 10 and nine marks respectively for policies on the overdose crisis and Indigenous health, 7.5 out of 10 for access to a family doctor and seven for pandemic readiness, the NDP received 33.5 out of 40 marks, ahead of the Greens' 28 points and the Liberals, with 24.

The college says the N-D-P lost marks due to the possible privatization of e-health and telehealth services in the north, a lack of overall support for family medicine and need for greater clarity on many of the party's proposals.