The April 16 issue of RidgeLines contained an article from Emily Filion titled “A letter re: Northern Health” about a series of adverse health events that her two-week-old son experienced on March 26. The letter was extremely well written. What I appreciated in particular was the level of gratitude that was expressed for the care and concern that were provided.
The letter simply presented factual statements about what did not go well, and what did. It ended with an exhortation to us to continue advocating for consistent ER coverage in Tumbler Ridge, and for proper equipment and support for emergency and neonatal care. It noted our remoteness, and that if the life-threatening emergency her son experienced had occurred after hours, or if road conditions were poor, the outcome could have been different.
I would like to thank Emily for the restrained, constructive tone of her letter, and would like to reassure her and others that efforts are continuing to get our after-hours ER coverage restored. My own worry is that such events and stories seem to happening more often than they used to. An event like this can always prompt reflection afterwards, on what could have gone better, and what steps could be taken to reduce the chances of a similar event in future.
The unimaginably horrific tragedy that engulfed our community in February, and which has brought so much pain and sorrow, has left many feeling even more vulnerable than before. I hear comments like “What if the tragedy had occurred after-hours or on a weekend?”, and “How can I go to sleep if I don’t feel safe that if a disaster strikes, the ER will be there for me?”
These are difficult times indeed for health care, not just in Tumbler Ridge but across our region. That does not mean that we should lie down and accept what we are offered as ‘health care’ if it is clearly inadequate. I want people like Emily and all residents to know that the spirited resistance to what has been foisted upon us continues, and that it is increasingly seen as a model for other communities to follow. (At the same time, we need to be generous and acknowledge the good work that the Health Authority and Ministry of Health have done in Tumbler Ridge in response to the tragedy.)
My feeling is that what been articulated repeatedly about our after-hours ER services (by our residents, Mayor and Council, MLA and others) so clearly has merit that sooner or later an appropriate response from our Health Authority will have to occur. If (or perhaps ‘when’) that happens, we can hopefully look to some form of reopening of our ER after hours. We can take consolation from knowing that we have ‘right on our side’, and that the long battle we have fought to restore after-hours ER care in TR is seen by other communities as an example to emulate.
In other words, for what it is worth, I don’t think we need to be overly pessimistic.
