
Forty-plus emergency room closures in his community wasn’t enough to affect major change: Merritt Mayor reacts to Brown resignation
KAMLOOPS — The resignation of Susan Brown was not an official agenda item at Friday’s Thompson Regional Hospital District (TRHD) meeting, but it certainly featured in conversations between directors. The hospital district that works directly with interior health for funding on major projects throughout the region.
The Emergency Department at the Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt has been closed 11 times so far this year, that follows more than 20 closures last year. That led to mayor Mike Goetz calling for Brown’s resignation more than a year ago.
“We did meet with Josie Osborne about three months ago, once of the questions we had was looking into all the HAs (health authorities) and how they are run and how they are managed, and especially IHA (Interior Health Authority),” said Goetz. “To go through it, have a look, see if we were in the ballpark, and if not make a change.”