SOUND OFF: More healthcare chaos for Kamloops and area
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DESPITE A NUMBER OF NDP ANNOUNCEMENTS around health care, the crisis in our system doesn’t seem to be easing. In fact, things are getting worse on a number of fronts. If you’re an expectant parent, you’re likely feeling a lot of stress right now as accessing maternity services becomes more difficult.
The Thompson Region Family Obstetrics clinic, which delivers 50 per cent of the babies born each month in Kamloops, has announced a permanent closure after raising concerns for nearly a year. These impacts will be felt deeply by local families and those in rural communities as well, because demand for the clinic has increased as smaller regional operators have also lost doctors. Communities like Barriere, Merritt, Lillooet and 100 Mile House relied on the services of this clinic, so there is much uncertainty for them right now.
The news of that facility’s closure comes less than a month after another clinic, Sage Hills Community Midwives in Kamloops, announced its closure. While I do acknowledge the government’s recent announcement of an expansion of midwifery training seats at the University of British Columbia, it remains unclear whether this will be enough to meet the demand for services across our province.
Meanwhile, nearby Merritt is coping with repeat ER closures that require patients to travel to Kamloops for care. Merritt has seen seven ER closures since the start of 2023 — just as many as it faced in the entirely of 2022. This is completely unacceptable, particularly as winter driving conditions make a trip to Kamloops incredibly stressful at times. Directing more patients to Kamloops also puts an additional strain on healthcare workers at Royal Inland Hospital, who are exhausted and burned out as it is.
