'Staffing crisis' forces reduced hours at B.C. hospitals, cancelled surgeries

Health authorities in B.C. announced their plans to address persistent staff shortages amid the latest wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with strategies including reduced hours, cancelled surgeries and fewer hospital beds.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said Tuesday each authority is responsible for coming up with its own plan to help "stabilize the health-care system."

"I understand some of these measures may cause concerns and challenges for patients. We are determined to get services up, back and running in full as soon as possible," he said. 

INTERIOR HEALTH

Some of the most extensive service changes planned in B.C. are in the Interior Health authority, which serves just over 800,000 people.

"As we manage the Omicron-driven COVID-19 staffing impacts on the health system, Interior Health is proactively identifying services to adjust and relocate in order to maintain safe patient care," said Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown.

"We will resume normal operations in impacted communities as soon as possible and in the meantime, we are temporarily reassigning and redeploying staff to sustain essential services throughout the region."

• Related: Island's Health's plan to reduce services amid staffing challenges

Those changes include temporarily closing several inpatient beds in Clearwater, Invermere and Lilloeet to prepare "for short-notice staff absences." Six to eight beds are closed at each of those locations.

Additionally, overnight hours are being reduced at Ashcroft Community Health Centre and the Slocan Community Health Centre. Specific details on those hours can be seen in Interior Health's notice. 

The Barriere and District Health Centre is closing until further notice so staff can be redeployed to other nearby communities. Anyone needing emergency care should call 911 or go to the health centre in Clearwater or Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, which are both about a 45-minute drive away.

All non-urgent surgeries have been rescheduled and hours for some outpatient services have been reduced.

"Current COVID-19 pressures have led to a staffing crisis that requires temporary emergency measures to maintain access to essential services that are relied on regionally," Brown said. "We regret the impacts these service adjustments may cause and will be contacting patients, clients and residents directly to address care needs wherever possible."

NORTHERN HEALTH

B.C.'s smallest health authority, Northern Health, said surgical and ambulatory services are impacted at several locations.

Both Wrinch Memorial Hospital and Bulkley Valley District Hospital are going down from two surgical slates to one, which is expected to impact about 30 surgeries. Bookings for surgeries are also being reduced at Dawson Creek and District Hospital over the next few weeks.

Staffing issues at long-term care facilities means admissions at some locations have been paused. As well, some outpatient services have been reduced.

"Existing staffing challenges in the north are compounded by Omicron-related impacts, and some staff will need to be temporarily reassigned within communities in the region, to ensure essential service levels," said Cathy Ulrich, Northern Health's president and CEO, in a news release.

"The pandemic has placed inordinate pressure on health care workers in Northern Health across all service areas, but we have also seen innovation and creativity in addressing these challenges."

VANCOUVER COASTAL, FRASER HEALTH

B.C.'s two largest health authorities, which encompass the Lower Mainland and beyond, didn't announce changes and specific facilities Tuesday.

However, both Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health said they've had to reschedule non-urgent elective surgeries. In Vancouver Coastal, 154 appointments were rescheduled over the past month, while Fraser Health rescheduled 128.

Vancouver Coastal also said staffing impacts have seen "a pronounced effect on rural and remote sites" because they typically operate with smaller teams.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan