Chetwynd joins call to reinstate on-call hours at Tumbler Ridge Health Centre

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The District of Chetwynd says it is “profoundly disappointed” with Northern Health in the wake of service reduction and a death in the community of Tumbler Ridge. 

In an open letter to the B.C. Minister of Health Josie Osborne, the District of Chetwynd mayor Allen Courtoreille expressed “dismay and profound disappointment” towards Northern Health’s decision to curtail on-call emergency services in the District of Tumbler Ridge. 

According to Northern Health’s September 4th Facebook post, the on-call hours for the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre’s emergency department – which used to be overnight and at the weekends – were to be reduced starting September 5th.

On-call services would only be available to the community between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and no on-call services would be available on weekends. 

The health authority claims this reduction is due to a lack of available staff in the district. 

The original announcement post from Northern Health noted the change allows for “less potential for weekday interruptions due to having been called out for after-hours coverage needs.”

Health Minister Josie Osborne has told Energeticcity.ca the Ministry of Health will “continue to engage and listen” and “find solutions that serve the community and support our hard-working healthcare professionals.”

Following public backlash regarding the decision, Northern Health invited residents to an open house on September 7th. After the open house, the health authority posted to Facebook that the service changes would be temporary, and another open house would be held on September 11th. 

In a September 9th interview with Energeticcity.ca, Darryl Krakowka, the mayor of the District of Tumbler Ridge, said an individual had died while en route from the community to the Dawson Creek and District Hospital on September 6th between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.

When asked by Energeticcity.ca, BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) stated it could not confirm any details due to patient privacy, but offered “sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual.”

The District of Chetwynd’s letter acknowledged the physician shortage experienced by the community and across the country, but warned the change would see high-risk shift workers, the vulnerable and the elderly facing increased threats to their safety, health and wellbeing. 

“An extra hour and a half of transport on bad roads to receive urgent care is unacceptable, and places unnecessary risk on patients and the first responders trying to help them,” Courtoreille said. 

“Relying on ambulance transport to the nearest [emergency room] will result in unnecessary loss of life, and we wonder what number of fatalities will be considered meaningful before once again restoring these basic and essential emergency services.”

In a statement to Energeticcity.ca, Health Minister Josie Osborne said: “First and foremost, I want to extend my condolences to the friends and family of this person. I have asked Northern Health to look into the circumstances of this case, so we can understand what took place.

“Northern Health is continuing to meet with the mayor, council and community groups in Tumbler Ridge about the temporary service changes there.

“I recognize the concerns that neighbouring municipalities, including the District of Chetwynd, have raised about the impact temporary service changes may have on their communities.

“We will continue to engage and listen to communities as they advocate for healthcare in their regions, to find solutions that serve the community, and support our hard-working healthcare professionals.”

To read the complete open letter from the District of Chetwynd, see below.