Health care is a key issue in the election as doctors in B.C. say it is at a breaking point

A doctor at Lions Gate Hospital says he is seriously considering resigning from the hospital because its healthcare system has reached breaking point.

Kevin McLeod wrote on social media on Thursday, raising concerns about the current system and calling on the next government to hold people in high-paying positions accountable.

“It really hit a breaking point for me last night because Sechelt called and said we need to send the patient to Lions Gate,” said the internal medicine specialist.

“Well… honestly that’s ridiculous.”

McLeod said this week has been very difficult and has taken a toll on him and his family.

“For me, on a typical call day, I might have 20, 22 new complex patients,” he said.

“I might have an extra 35, 40, 50 people in the office. It’s not safe.”

Meanwhile, patients requiring neurological care at Penticton Regional Hospital could face reduced access to specialist services after three neurologists resigned their privileges at the hospital.

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The resignations come after the Department of Interior Health last month introduced changes requiring neurologists to provide on-call services across all health regions, a move that doctors say will significantly increase their workload without additional support in their communities.

“There is always concern any time you lose a doctor from any medical facility,” said Dr. Adam Thompson, president of Doctors of BC.

Thompson said these new on-call requirements could put additional pressure on neurologists who are already in short supply.

“This aims to significantly increase their workload without additional support from the community to do so,” he said. “There is a tipping point where you cannot treat all neurological cases at the same time.”

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Neurologist resigns from Penticton Regional Hospital

With B.C.’s provincial election just days away, health care experts hope political parties will listen to their concerns.

“We’re going to make sure that we put the minimum nurse to patient ratio into law, into law, to make sure that health authorities know, that hospital managers know, that everyone knows, that this is the government’s goal,” said BC NDP leader David Eby.

In a release, BC Nurses Association president Adriane Gear said the ratio legislation is an opportunity to build on progress already made, provide greater certainty for patients and caregivers, and support plans to expand ratios in emergency departments, operating rooms, long-term care and assisted living facilities, as well as community and non-hospital care settings.

But he added that safe staffing is a health service priority that must transcend party politics and remains a commitment regardless of which party forms government.

BC Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson said they will “build a new state-of-the-art children’s and women’s hospital here in Surrey that we are thrilled to announce.”

McLeod said the problem is that people in high-level admin positions need to run the system better.

“We’ve increased the number of people in these admin roles significantly, but I wouldn’t argue that we’re running anything more efficiently,” he said.

“There are a lot of savings to be had there.”

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