Financial squeeze closes Vancouver hospital beds, operating rooms

The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority is shutting down about 36 hospital beds and three operating rooms for the remainder of the fiscal year because of a budget shortfall.

This will force the postponement of some elective surgeries and procedures.

The authoritysays it just doesn't have enough money to carry on until the end of March at current service levels.

"The deficit that we're facing, and the challenges we face are in the area of about five to 10 million dollars," spokeswoman Viviana Zanocco said Tuesday.

The health authority has an annual budget of about $2.1 billion.

Two operating rooms at Vancouver General Hospital and one at UBC Hospital are being closed temporarily, as are about three dozen acute care beds at St. Paul's and Mount Saint Joseph hospitals.

NDP Leader Carole James said the closures are avoidable, as the provincial government has the money to make up the shortfall.

"Patients shouldn't have to see further cuts to hospital beds, further waits inERs. They should be able to get the care that they need. And for the health authority to be moving on these cuts right now is irresponsible."

Former health minister Colin Hansen, who isthe acting minister, said there's nothing unusual going on.

"My understanding is that the only closure of these operating rooms is to allow for the normal spring break vacation."

But Hospital Employees' Union spokesman Mike Old said the closures are the result of a battle over funding between the government and the health authority.

"We're quite concerned that there's a game of brinkmanship going on here between the government and the health authority and it's patients who are caught in the middle."

He said the budget shortfall is a result of short-staffing at hospitals leading to massive amounts of overtime. The health authority agrees, but Hansen argues the funding is adequate.