The BC United Party is decrying the lack of action on ER closures, using the two year closure of the Elkford Health Centre emergency department as an example.
The emergency department in Elkford was closed “temporarily” by Interior Health in September of 2021. IH cited difficulty in recruiting permanent and casual staff and physicians to Elkford.
Patients were advised that they should, in the event of an emergency, call 911 or visit the Sparwood Heath Centre from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or the Elk Valley Hospital in Fernie for 24 hour services.
Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka says there has been no communication from the NDP government as to when the Elkford ER may reopen.
“This is absurd,” Shypitka said. “For the past two years, members of this community have had to travel upwards of 45 minutes just to get to the nearest ER and with winter approaching, that journey becomes much longer and significantly more dangerous. This NDP government seems to be content with leaving a rural ER sitting ‘temporarily’ closed for two years, with no clarity as to when it will reopen. The people of Elkford are fed up and want to know when they’ll be able to access emergency care, but David Eby and the NDP refuse to give us a straight answer.”
In a press release, BC United noted that a mining community not having a emergency medical access can be devastating.
“This government continues to drag its feet with recruiting doctors and nurses to staff emergency rooms across the province, and rural communities feel the impacts most acutely,” said Shypitka. “As the healthcare situation in British Columbia continues to deteriorate, it is unacceptable that residents in this province — rural or not — should have to face extensive travel to another facility just to see a doctor. After two terms, all this NDP government has shown is that they are incapable of delivering results — even when lives are at stake.”
Shypitka also brought the issue to question period in the Legislature last week, asking what the NDP government was going to do about a “health care system in free fall”. He also said that the government’s position that closed emergency departments was “the new normal” was not good enough.
Health Minister Adrian Dix pointed to the government’s efforts on recruitment of physicians for understaffed areas and its efforts to expand locum programs.
The Free Press reached out to Interior Health for an update on the closed emergency department and received a response from Diane Shendruk, Vice President, Clinical Operations, IH North, who said the Elkford emergency department would remain closed at this time.
“Interior Health is continuing to evaluate the health care needs in Elkford and plans for services that will meet the community’s needs.
“We are not in a position to resume stable emergency department services at this time. Emergency services are available in neighbouring Sparwood and Fernie.
“We are working with local partners on a sustainable solution to the health care services in Elkford; this might include a team based approach such as we see in urgent and primary care clinics (UPCCs).”