The MLA for Kootenay East is marking a grim milestone for East Kootenay health care.
Tom Shypitka says Friday, March 29, marks the 30 month anniversary of a temporary closure of the emergency department in Elkford.
Shypitka is questioning how long “temporary” is in this instance and if the word is offering false hope that the facility will ever reopen, he says recent announcements about bolstering health care staff in BC have not materialized locally.
“I just want to be clear, the [Health] Minister is making all kinds of glorious announcements and patting himself on the back saying ‘we’re bringing more people into health care and we’re hiring more nurses and doctors’, we’re just not seeing that here,” Shypitka says. “I don’t know if the statistics are skewed or what he’s doing, but what he’s saying and what is actually happening on the ground just isn’t relatable.”
He’s calling on the Province to take action to find staff to man the Elkford ER, the closure has forced Elkford residents to seek health care options in Sparwood or Fernie.
See more comments from Shypitka below:
March 29, 2024, will mark two and a half years since Interior Health (IH) closed the Elkford Health Centre’s emergency department. The initial public service announcement remains posted on IH’s website and reads: “Temporary closure of Elkford emergency department.” This got me thinking, how long is temporary and what constitutes changing the wording to “Indefinite closure of Elkford emergency department?”
Temporary and indefinite can be interchangeable but there are differences in their meanings. Temporary typically implies a short time frame while indefinite is without limit. Why does this matter? It’s about semantics. Temporary gives the impression of a short existence while indefinite has no timeline. The truth is that 30 months with no indication of change is far from temporary.
Yet this NDP government continues to ignore the potentially dangerous scenarios that could occur in a mining community due to the lack of an emergency department nearby. Temporary closures of emergency departments in rural areas of B.C. have become the norm under this government. It’s as if it’s acceptable that our healthcare continues to crumble, and no solutions are offered. Only false hope with the use of the word temporary.
Staffing shortages are the number one reason this NDP government cites as reasons for emergency department closure. Excuse me, “temporary closures.” How is this possible when the Minister of Health bragged about “unprecedented investments into B.C.’s healthcare workforce and system” back in December 2023? This included the claim that 6,258 new nurses were hired last year. Where are they working? Not in the Elkford emergency department.
The NDP government needs to stop spreading false hope by calling these emergency department closures “temporary” and start figuring out how to restore services. Wait, that’s what the NDP does best… talk about how much better they will make the province while our healthcare system crumbles around them. Results matter. We need action.
Meanwhile, Interior Health has released the following statement regarding the ongoing temporary closure of the Elkford ER:
Interior Health continues to evaluate the health care needs in Elkford and plan for services that will meet those 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.
While those discussions take place, the Elkford Health Centre is open for scheduled primary care appointments, public health, lab and X-ray services, physio and occupational therapies, mental health services, social, wound care, and palliative care. A dietician based in Sparwood can also support individuals in Elkford.
We ask residents that in the event of an emergency to call 9-1-1 or visit the emergency department available at:
– Sparwood Health Centre – open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
– Elk Valley Hospital in Fernie – 24/7 service
We thank all Elk Valley communities for supporting the recruitment of additional health care workers to the area. We are committed to local health care services in the Elk Valley and continue to look at additional measures to ensure stable and reliable local services.
HealthLinkBC at 8-1-1 is also a 24-hour service and can answer health questions, including whether you should attend an emergency department for care.
– Tom Shypitka – Kootenay East MLA (Article includes statements from Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka and Interior Health)
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