Dear editor,
There has been lots going on regarding health care in the last few years, and things in the North Island have been especially hard. People have come to tolerate our broken health-care system with ongoing effects to our community.
It is said that the strength of a community is measured by how the most vulnerable are cared for. How do you think we’re doing?
The powers that be expect us to accept that this is all happenstance, that there is nothing that can be done that isn’t already being done. Patients struggle while there are continued issues with clinic access and support, community care and emergency departments in the region.
There remains no transparency or leadership communication regarding the spending, staffing, or facility resources for the region. Mismanagement of public funds, whether perceived or real, is rife. What are the barriers in operating a model of safe and predictable regional care?
Port Hardy has seven physicians in the community, but the emergency department closes daily at 5 p.m.
Port McNeill has four doctors and locums, and they are expected to provide 24 hour emergency care to the region.
Cormorant Island’s emergency department also closes overnight.
One can complain, but there are systems in place to deflect the public and provider disquiet. Calls for addressing care quality and unsafe emergency care for patients and providers have gone unanswered by the health authority and health minister.
It appears that respect and professionalism are not mutual or reciprocal, and asking for improved outcomes, accountability or a timely response from the health authority on the regional difficulties to improve patient care, is too much to ask.
Four physicians in the region have had health authority privileging issues imposed now, limiting their work in the hospital and solidifying only a power imbalance without serving the public need. There have been persistent attempts to silence and discipline physicians for their patient advocacy efforts.
Health authority leadership continue to attend meetings with no answers and an inability to provide meaningful solutions. It is worth noting that there is no valid public representation regarding health-care issues regionally.
The local community leaders are provided information by the health authority, who are provided with information to release by the health ministry, who are themselves provided information by the health authority in the first place, and they do not represent the reality of frontline care.
How are objective concerns and the public interest represented and supported in the North Island or anywhere in the province?
On a personal note, I have continued to be harassed by the health authority despite repeatedly asking the board and senior leadership for some cultural sensitivity in not weaponizing my trauma and to stop triggering me around my ethnicity and background (editor’s note - Dr. Armogam’s short film “Son of a Farmer” can be viewed now on youtube.)
More concerning is that the health minister and premier have been notified of this but have yet to address it.
Despite the regional health chaos and concerns raised around care and administration quality, I have been informed that ‘…The role of the Ministry is to provide strategic leadership, public accountability, and policy direction for the health care system in British Columbia. Each health authority is responsible for planning and delivering the full range of health services in its region and the government has given them the flexibility and mandate to make decisions about how best to do so.’
I am also informed that we are meant to be ‘…assured that both the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) and the health authorities take care quality matters very seriously.’
We continue to live in hope of responsible stewardship and guidance that is better able to serve the public. Will that ever be?
Is there a solution to our health care challenges? On a local level, I believe that there is, but it has to come from the health minister and premier. Not consolidating health services regionally and continuing to limp along on a wish list does not instill confidence in remedial action if responsible resource management can’t happen.
On a national level, the concept of universal health care has to be met with some standardizing of national licensure, professional regulation, and remuneration. There needs to be a templated and tailored approach in meeting the needs of all communities recognizing the challenges in each one.
Do I think that the recruitment efforts and new physician remuneration model in BC has helped? There are only so many health care providers with all parts of Canada vying for them. There has been lots of incentives for nursing staff in the region which needs to extend to other health care workers in the short term. Ultimately, there needs to be more training of all health care staff.
The LFP model has promise but remains fee-for-service. The disparity in the support between the regional clinics has to cease.
With the upcoming election, do I think that there will be change? I’m no politician but whether it’s health care, carbon tax, the housing crisis or the cost of living, I know who I won’t be voting for this election.
Dr. Prean Armogam,
Port McNeill
