Williams Lake ER was open, Eby affirms, despite sign announcing closure unless patient ‘imminently dying’

Despite a sign that was posted in Cariboo Memorial Hospital suggesting the ER was closed unless a patient was “imminently dying,” officials, including Premier David Eby, are affirming that was not the case.

Pictures of the sign have been making the rounds on social media. It states the “THE EMERGENCY ROOM IS CLOSED **UNLESS PATIENT IS IMMINENTLY DYING**.”

The sign, which Interior Health says was posted on Monday, Oct. 2, ends with, “Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Eby was asked about the sign on Thursday. He referred to comments made by the health minister during Question Period, saying Adrian Dix was “quite clear … that the emergency room in Williams Lake was open, remained open.”

“But the underlying concern of British Columbians about accessibility of care, especially in smaller communities across the province, given a system-wide shortage of health-care workers across Canada, is a serious one. And we are taking the steps to address it,” Eby said.

“The emergency room in Williams Lake was open for people that needed emergency care,” he reaffirmed.

The premier listed off some of the steps the province has been taken to address health-care concerns, including recent announcements about funding and procedure changes to recognize international qualifications.

While Eby confirmed the Ministry of Health “is looking into the posting of the sign and what was behind that,” he couldn’t provide more information about the matter.

“I can’t comment on it because I don’t know the details of it. But my expectation is, for every British Columbian, that they get access to care when they need it. And that applies in smaller rural centres in the same way as it applies in major centres of our province,” he said.

The sign was brought up during Question Period Thursday by BC United Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson. He suggested the notice was “an example” of how the BC NDP has been handling health-care.

“Does the premier seriously expect the people of Williams Lake to accept that they must be imminently dying just to receive health care under this NDP’s new normal?” Doerkson asked.

“The emergency room was not closed, and service continued. Of course, we’re reviewing how a sign was put up there, because that is very disturbing. Of course, that’s very disturbing,” Dix responded.

Interior Health apologizes ‘for any confusion’ sign created

In a statement to CityNews, Interior Health apologized “for any confusion created by the sign.”

“We also apologize to any patients who may have read it and felt they did not have access to local medical services,” the statement continues.

“The emergency department was never closed and we are reviewing why this sign was put up.”

The health authority says the hospital was dealing with “staffing pressures” Monday evening but adds they were “addressed with calling in additional staff.”

“We appreciate the ongoing dedication of our local staff and physicians as Interior Health takes all possible steps to address our current staffing challenges in Williams Lake,” the email reads.

According to Interior Health, the Cariboo Memorial ER “has not had any service interruptions,” adding if an interruption was necessary, it would “not rely on a sign at the door as the main, and certainly not the only, way to notify patients and the broader community.”

“There is also a formal process to bring in senior leadership on a service interruption at any hospital, so that every possible option is explored to maintain local services in our communities,” Interior Health’s statement explains.

“If there is a service interruption at any site in any community, our priority is to issue a public service announcement through media and our social media as well as advise local partners, including the mayor and local First Nations partners.”

-With files from Robyn Crawford