Maternity ward gaps temporarily filled in Prince George, but health authority says underlying shortages remain
Province facing a shortage of Royal College-certified obstetrical specialists
Northern Health says it has managed to fill gaps in maternity ward services in Prince George for the months of August and September, but warns underlying staffing issues remain a concern.
On July 21, the health authority announced that a shortage of obstetrical specialists could limit care options available to expecting parents in the city.
But in an updated statement posted Aug. 1, Northern Health said specialist coverage has been secured for August and September.
However, it also warned that a provincewide shortage of Royal College-certified obstetrical specialists could lead to future issues, and that northern B.C. is not alone in trying to grapple with the problem.
"While we have secured coverage for the near term, we continue to monitor the situation closely and plan proactively for the months ahead," the statement says.
The University Hospital of Northern B.C. (UHNBC) in Prince George is the largest hospital in the Northern Health region, and often provides maternity services to outlying communities for hundreds of kilometres.
The possibility of being unable to provide full coverage was "terrifying," according to Dr. Kasandra Joss, the acting general practitioner-obstetric lead at UHNBC, who spoke to CBC News while work was still underway to try to fill the gaps.
She said that doctors from other communities had agreed to help provide coverage, while at least one other physician rearranged her holidays in order to help out.
"It is absolutely the most stressful thing that any of us has been through," she said.
Meanwhile, Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops is still expecting gaps in coverage for at least the month of August, though Interior Health says it, too, is working to find solutions.
Provincial Health Minister Josie Osborne has acknowledged the anxiety the disruptions are causing and has said that no one in need of care would be turned away when birth is imminent.
She's also focused on recruitment efforts underway by the province to bring in more health providers.
Kiel Giddens, a B.C. Conservative MLA who represents Prince George, said in a statement that to have any disruptions in some of the largest hospitals in the Interior and north is a troubling trend.
"This is quite alarming," he said in an earlier interview.
"We need these basic services in a G7 country. To have maternal health as part of your health-care system is absolutely essential. So we need to do better."
With files from Hanna Petersen, Jenifer Norwell and Matt Preprost