By Dylana Milobar

BC Health Ministry preparing for RIH patient care tower staffing needs

Mar 3, 2019 | 1:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — With construction underway on a new patient care tower for Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, BC’s Health Minister is reassuring residents that work is being done in order to have enough staff members to operate the new addition.

“We’re taking action to see that that happens.”

Speaking during a visit to Kamloops last week, Min. Adrian Dix says the provincial government is aware of doctor shortages, and staffing problems in the area, and is taking action to make sure there will be enough employees at RIH to have the new patient care tower running smoothly.

“Right here in Kamloops, there are challenges,” He explains, referencing one of the latest health care training developments in Kamloops, “There is always challenges and its why the Premier, my colleague, the Minister of Advanced Education, Melanie Mark, are so proud that we’re building a new building for nursing right here at Thompson Rivers University. Because we don’t just have to plan for now, we have to plan for the future.”

As it is likely staffing issues won’t go away overnight, Dix says the BC Government needs to work to increase the number of health care professionals and skilled healthcare workers.

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“I think the new patient care tower will assist us in that.”

In Kamloops for the announcement of 31 Interior Health facilities benefiting from a $5.3 million investment to support care aides, Dix also cited recent improvements made to address doctor shortages around Kamloops.

“I have to really credit the team at Interior Health. For example, there was shortages here, as everybody knows, of cardiologists,” He explains, “And the work done on the ground by (former Interior Health president and CEO) Chris Mazurkewich, working with (current IH president and CEO) Susan Brown, to increase that number from 2 to 6 in this town. For everybody who lives here in Kamloops, that has to make people feel better.”

Granted, Dix says he knows that does not mean all the problems around having enough health care workers are solved, or that it’ll be an easy fix.

Also mentioning other hospital renovations going on around the province such as at Penticton Regional Hospital, the health minister says those kind of investments will help draw in more doctors and nurses.

“I think when that patient care tower opens, it’s going to be a way to attract even more people to this community, and I’m very enthusiastic about that.”

by Dylana Milobar

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BC Health Ministry preparing for RIH patient care tower staffing needs

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