B.C. needs to take quick action to address ER pressure: Prince Rupert mayor

The mayor of Prince Rupert says the emergency room crisis in his town emerged seemingly overnight, but it’s not a problem that can be solved as quickly.

The ER in Prince Rupert has seen several closures over the last couple weeks due to an ongoing staffing shortage. With that, CityNews has heard from residents about their issues accessing much-needed health care during that time.

Mayor Herb Pond says the next nearest hospital is in Terrace, a two-hour drive away, and it’s a tough journey to make for many families.

“Not every family in our community has access to their own vehicle. When an ambulance is required to take somebody to Terrace, they’re out of the picture then for five or six hours there,” he explained.

But Pond says it’s not just the ER closures that are worrisome for his city’s residents.

“People are getting letters from their family doctors that they’ve had for 30 years saying, ‘I’ll be retiring or leaving,’ and they’re finding themselves without a physician. Then, on top of that, not having access to the only alternative, is deeply concerning,” Pond told CityNews Friday.

Being a town that is heavily reliant on industrial jobs, Pond says it’s imperative to know “that if something goes wrong, there’s help immediately available.”

“Then of course, for seniors, as you enter into that phase of your life, where your immediate health-care needs go up, it’s also deeply concerning.”

Come winter, the road conditions between Terrace and Prince Rupert deteriorate, with the highways sometimes closed for a day or two at a time, Pond explains. Before the next winter arrives, Prince Rupert and other rural communities need staffing solutions, he added.

Pond shares that he does believe the provincial government is taking the health-care crisis seriously but admits the problem has been a “long time coming.”

“We didn’t get here overnight. The problem appeared more or less overnight, but it has been a long time coming. And it’s not just a Prince Rupert problem. Sadly, this is this is a rural community issue,” he said.

Pond’s comments come after a Prince Rupert couple shared with CityNews what was described as a “health-care horror show” worsened by emergency department closures.

Tish Losier said she and her partner, Joe, were forced to wait for care outside the ER in Prince Rupert while it was closed overnight.

Losier said she had to bring Joe into the ER a total of three times on Monday, after he began to experience grand mal seizures that morning.

Jennifer Rice, North Coast MLA, issued a statement Wednesday, saying her family of four is losing its family doctor and she can “personally relate” to concerns coming from patients in the region.

“This is a scary situation for all of us living in not just Prince Rupert, but other North Coast communities who rely on Prince Rupert Regional Hospital and Prince Rupert family doctors for primary care,” Rice said.

She said “every effort” is being made to fill the vacant physician positions that are causing the ER closures, and people’s concerns are not going unnoticed.

“I realize this is cold comfort for those who have needed an ER recently and it was closed. My heart has broken this week with the experiences people have shared,” she said.

“This health human resource challenge is not new or unique to just Prince Rupert. We are not only facing a health human resource crisis locally and provincially but nationally and globally.”