Concerns raised by parents, patients, politicians and staff about gaps in resources and supports available at the 91大黄鸭 General Hospital (KGH) have been a top concern for years.
Many of the concerns specific to the current pediatric care crisis were outlined in a presentation made by physicians to Interior Health management in 2019.
Currently, no pediatricians are working at KGH, and as a result, the hospital has been forced to close its pediatric ward.
From May 26 until at least the first week in July, all children who present to KGH with medical concerns requiring admission for further care or monitoring must be transferred to another site.
In a period of 14 days, 10 children were transferred from KGH to another hospital.
"We always prefer to treat pediatric patients at KGH, but right now that is not possible as we don鈥檛 have enough pediatricians available. The focus remains on getting pediatric patients to the best site to meet their specific care needs during this temporary service change," said Interior Health CEO, Susan Brown.
At a June 9, KGH Medical Staff Association Meeting attended by members of the IH Board of Directors including Brown, physicians asked questions about 91大黄鸭's pediatric care crisis and "under-resourced" emergency department.
IH, however, has maintained that recruitment, a nationwide shortage of pediatricians, and a rapidly growing population are the primary issues that prompted the pediatric unit closure.
At the meeting, a group of pediatricians who no longer work at KGH pointed out that the very issues that are being experienced by patients today were forecast in a comprehensive presentation to the health region in 2019.
Brown said that the COVID-19 pandemic "drew everyone's attention away," and as a result, the points raised by the presentation were not addressed.
The pediatricians then pointed out that the presentation was given again in 2023 and continued inaction regarding their calls for in-hospital supports for staff resulted in the resignation of seven of the hospital's pediatricians.
"There has never been a time when we have had adequate resources. You can't just burn us out like this," said the former KGH Department Head of Pediatrics in the meeting.
Brown denied the allegations that the requested measures were not implemented and said that a third-party consultant had been brought in to engage with staff and made all requested changes. Several of the pediatricians contended Brown's depiction of the health region's efforts, as several of the pediatricians had already resigned by the time the engagement was enacted.
鈥淭his is a problem where leadership is not listening to frontline workers or local voices. They take a 鈥榳e know best鈥� approach, and that鈥檚 clearly not working," said Brennan Day, MLA for Courtenay-Comox and Conservative critic for seniors鈥� and rural health.
Now, the Conservative Party of B.C. has said that the concerns of insufficient staffing at KGH, and broader concerns within the Interior Health Region, were flagged by five Thompson-Okanagan mayors in 2022. In a letter not made public before now, penned to then health minister Adrian Dix, the mayors raised concerns about staffing, emergency department closures, lack of communication from the senior leadership at Interior Health and a lack of funding for complex care.
Black Press has reviewed a copy of the letter, which was signed by former 91大黄鸭 mayor Colin Basran, City of Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming, West 91大黄鸭 Mayor Gord Milsom, former Penticton mayor John Vassilaki and former mayor of Kamloops Ken Christian.
"We are kindly requesting to meet with you to discuss solutions to these issues in the spirit of collaboration. These issues will not improve without significant intervention, and leadership change at IH," wrote the five mayors on behalf of their communities.
Brown has been the CEO and President of the Health Region since 2018.
鈥淭his is a smoking gun. When the mayors spoke out three years ago, Dix ignored them. Now, the new health minister, Josie Osborne, is sitting on her hands and hasn鈥檛 even taken the initiative to make an urgent visit to 91大黄鸭 General Hospital,鈥� said 91大黄鸭-Mission MLA Gavin Dew.
鈥淟et me remind everyone that the pediatric unit at KGH is currently shut down because Interior Health has failed to create the conditions for retention. I am reiterating my call that Interior Health President and CEO Susan Brown must step down, and Minister of Health Josie Osborne must step up and lead.鈥�
Brown said that the health region has been engaging with local medical leadership, the medical staff association and Doctors of BC.
"We will work together to improve communications channels. We are partnering with Doctors of BC and the Medical Staff Association to work on site-specific engagement with the pediatrics and emergency department at KGH," said Brown.
At the KGH meeting, Brown said that there needs to be a working relationship between physicians and the health region.
