Surrey Memorial Hospital crisis: Fraser Health asks other regions for staff
On the heels of a series of town halls with staff, Fraser Health is assessing its hospital network to see who can spare staff for Surrey Memorial Hospital, while asking other health authorities for help.
The hospital has been overwhelmed by patients for months, with the crisis intensifying and doctors increasingly speaking up about patients waiting up to three days in the emergency department, with the maternity ward dealing with countless “close calls.
“We've had callouts to other health authorities to see if there's specific gaps that can be filled,” said Dr. Victoria Lee, Fraser Health CEO, noting they’ve sent help when others needed it during the pandemic.
She also clarified a statement made by the health minister on Wednesday announcing the activation of an “Emergency Operations Centre,” a misnomer that’s actually a state of emergency alert within the hospital: the EOC was activated two months ago and daily meetings are held to prioritize staff and expedite patients.
What has changed is the involvement of Health Emergency Management BC and other provincial agencies to help coordinate services, draw on a broader array of resources, and potentially supply more people.
SUMMER STAFFING EVEN MORE DIRE
Sources tell CTV News the summer schedule, which is typically booked months in advance, has far fewer staff committed to shifts than they need to maintain even the current, insufficient level of care.
“It feels bad now and it's scary to think about what it could be like if we have further physicians leaving for good reason,” said internal medicine specialist and Medical Staff Association president, Dr. Roopjeet Kahlon.
Doctors at Surrey Memorial Hospital have been increasingly vocal about what they call unsafe conditions due to a staffing crisis that “was foreseen” but ignored, they say, despite numerous letters and alarms raised with administrators and senior health authority leadership.
“The situation in our ER can be compared to a pandemic-level crisis and it requires the same kind of effort,” said Kahlon, pointing out that Fraser Health has been under-resourced for years, which was highlighted in a recent board of trade analysis.
Despite its rapid growth, Surrey’s hospital has to send patients with gunshot wounds or other traumatic injuries across the river to Royal Columbian Hospital, which also has the closest cardiac facilities.
The health minister has blamed the previous Liberal government for under-serving the community, which is true, but the Surrey Hospitals Foundation combed through financial reports and found on a per capita basis, Fraser Health residents see $2,229 per year in provincial funding compared to $3,033 for Vancouver Coastal Health residents.
“It's like tying our hands and telling us to go do excellent work, it’s an unfair expectation,” added Kahlon. “The system is failing, but the physician is asked to continue to provide high-quality care to the patient and the public.”
THE CRISIS THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED
Lee described a positive dialogue with physicians at a series of town halls she held at Surrey Memorial on Wednesday, which several attendees have confirmed to CTV News.
“I don't believe there's one solution that's going to fix, or that's going to actually problem-solve,” said Lee. “We need to come together with a multitude of system-wide solutioning.”
But Lee did not describe the situation as a “crisis” and doctors and nurses alike have voiced frustration and dismay that neither Fraser Health leadership nor the health minister have used that word publicly.
That has Kahlon echoing the sentiments of her peers, who “haven't really felt there's been an appreciation of the severity of the seriousness of the situation on the ground.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.