The District of Tumbler Ridge (DTR) has responded to a number of recent communications from Northern Health after meeting with them in December.
According to a press release, the District “believes it is important to clarify several matters for the public.
“The District wishes to emphasize that it has been actively pursuing multiple avenues to support the reopening of after-hours and weekend emergency department services. This work has included numerous meetings and phone calls with the Minister of Health, Northern Health, RCCbc, and BEHS; engagement with other municipalities; exploration of alternative models and options that may be viable for the DTR, including but not limited to VERRa, temporary medical facility, reallocating return-for- service doctors within the Peace region, especially those with no patient volumes in their current community practice, municipal-owned and operated medical clinics, and other options. Council has been trying to assist doctors who are trying to come to Tumbler Ridge who are experienced and are finding delays with GO Health BC, and is additionally working on the recruitment of doctors.”
According to the release, the District came before the Northern Health Board of Directors. “We had very specific ‘asks’ that went unanswered. Suggestions from DTR representatives, including Dr Helm, have been dismissed by Northern Health without consideration or explanation. It is frustrating that Northern Health still refers to the reduced emergency department hours as ‘temporary’ but does not seem to actually be working on re-opening.”
Why? The District says that the health authority is deflecting its responsibility for emergency care to BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), who operate the ambulances in town. They say Northern Health fails to recognized that, “even under the best road conditions, the distance [to Dawson Creek] exceeds the “Golden Hour” for care. The District recognizes that health care staffing challenges are being experienced across the province and the country. However, the impacts in small and remote communities such as Tumbler Ridge are significant. While Northern Health has stated its commitment to regular and ongoing dialogue, notifications, and updates with residents of Tumbler Ridge, there has been no public engagement or open community meeting since September regarding after-hours and weekend emergency department service changes. Limited discussions have occurred between Northern Health leadership and a small number of District representatives; however, outside of updates posted on the Northern Health website, residents have not had the opportunity to ask questions in a public forum, as comments are turned off on Northern Health’s social media posts.
The District wishes to clarify that the Tumbler Ridge Healthcare Task Force, as referenced in the Tumbler Ridge Health Services Community Update, serves as a forum for discussion and information sharing on various health care-related issues and is not the mechanism for determining emergency department service levels. The District of Tumbler Ridge remains committed to advocating for its residents.
The District continues to call for direct public engagement, clear explanations of service changes, and full consideration of both clinical and operational perspectives when decisions affecting emergency services are made.”
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
