NDP New Westminster MLA Judy Darcy took issue with the BC Liberals over hospital wait times during question period in the B.C. legislature Monday, citing an incident at Peace Arch Hospital last week as evidence of the overcrowding.
Darcy said an 86-year-old woman, Fran Nesbitt, spent “three full days” waiting in an emergency department hallway with a fractured pelvis in the Peace Arch Hospital before getting a bed.
“The emergency crisis at Peace Arch (Hospital) and throughout Fraser Health is a direct result of this government’s failures,” Darcy said in her question to Minister of Health Dr. Terry Lake.
Last week, Premier Christy Clark was asked at a news conference in Merritt about the overcrowding issue within Fraser Health Authority. Clark blamed it on a bad flu season.
“As my father used to say, ‘It’s tough to build a church big enough for Easter.’ And when we have a very, very difficult flu season as we’ve had this year, it really does put stress on the system,” the premier responded.
“Yes, we’re concerned about it, and the answer to it is to continue to build.”
During question period, Darcy referred to Clark’s comment about Easter and said it was a “glib answer,” then asked: “Does the minister of health think it’s too tough to build a health-care system so that Fran doesn’t have to wait three days with a broken pelvis?”
Lake responded, saying health authorities are working to reduce overcrowding.
“We’ve had a very difficult influenza season that has affected seniors more than other years,” Lake told the legislature.
“We’ve had an unusual winter where people have slipped and injured themselves that have to be seen at emergency. We are in the middle of an opioid epidemic, the biggest public-health crisis we have seen.
“All of this has put pressure on emergency departments.”
At Peace Arch News press time Tuesday, Fraser Health spokesperson Tasleem Juma issued a statement apologizing for Nesbitt’s wait time, saying “this is not how we want to care for people.”
“We understand she was moved to an inpatient bed, though not as quickly as she would have liked.”
Juma said congestion is a challenge for health care across the country and Fraser Health works quickly to return people home safely.
"We are looking to expand the Peace Arch emergency department and currently have a business plan in with the Ministry of Health for review. While this alone won't fix the problem, it will help as we contiune to work on longer term solutions as well as immediate ones."