Healthcare workers are missing in action in Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert Regional Hospital's emergency room has been hit hard by staff shortages. The emergency department had to close its doors for several hours on July 7 and 9 due to a lack of doctors and nurses. This is not an isolated incident. Across Northern Health, more than 90% of emergency room closures in Prince Rupert and Kitimat General Hospital between January and June were caused by staffing issues. The situation is not improving. Despite efforts to recruit more staff, the emergency department is still struggling to stay open. Northern Health launched a task force last year to find ways to keep the emergency room running. The task force has tried different strategies, such as offering incentives to attract new staff and using temporary workers to fill shifts. The task force has made some progress. There has been a 6. 2% decrease in the number of service interruptions in the region between January and June this year compared to the same period last year. However, this is not enough. The emergency room is still closed for hours at a time, leaving patients without access to critical care. Northern Health is working with BC Health Careers to recruit more staff. They are also collaborating with local communities to find creative solutions to attract healthcare workers to the North. But the question remains: why are there not enough doctors and nurses in the first place? The answer is complex. Some factors include low pay, long hours, and a lack of support. But the root cause is a systemic issue. The healthcare system is underfunded and overworked. Until this changes, staff shortages will continue to plague emergency rooms across the region. In the meantime, patients in Prince Rupert and Kitimat are left to suffer. They are forced to wait for hours, or even days, to receive the care they need. This is unacceptable. The government must take action to address the staffing crisis in healthcare.