Seniors treated by Northern Health faced long surgical wait times, report finds

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Seniors being treated by Northern Health experience the longest wait times in the province. 

That’s according to a report released by the Office of the Seniors Advocate, which says seniors in Northern Health faced longer wait times for key surgeries in 2024/25 compared to seniors in other health authority areas. 

In a statement provided to Energeticcity.ca, Northern Health says timely access to surgical care is important. 

“Northern Health understands the importance of timely access to surgical care and is actively working to reduce wait times for surgical procedures, including cataract surgeries and knee and hip replacements.”

On average, seniors waiting for cataract surgery by Northern Health were forced to wait 11 weeks between April 1st, 2024 and March 31st, 2025, the report says. 

Likewise, it found surgeries for knee replacements showed wait times for 53 weeks and for hip replacements, the wait was up to 31 weeks.

These are median average times, meaning some people waited less time while others waited longer.   

The federal government has put forth benchmark wait times for essential surgeries. For cataract surgeries, the expected wait time is no longer than 16 weeks. For hip and knee replacements, the wait time is 53 weeks and 31 weeks respectively. 

Northern Health reported the lowest number of surgeries completed in this time period in the entire province. 

The 2024/25 report found only 68 per cent of cataract surgeries were completed within 16 weeks, while 35 per cent of knee replacements were finished in under 53 weeks. Forty-seven per cent of hip replacements were completed in less than 31 weeks. 

Wait times for surgeries start when the health authority receives the booking form, and ends when the patient receives the scheduled surgery. 

The time between a referral and an appointment with a surgeon is not included in the wait time. 

Northern Health told Energeticcity.ca it had made progress in reducing the wait times last year, in 2025/26.

“Currently the average wait time for cataract surgeries is 8.6 weeks with 81.2 per cent completed within the benchmark timeframe,” it said.

“For knee replacements, the average wait time is 23.6 weeks with 36.5 per cent completed within the benchmark timeframe. For hip replacements, the average wait time is 14 weeks with 45.8 per cent completed within the benchmark timeframe.”

Dan Levitt, B.C. seniors advocate, says wait times for surgeries are longer because of staffing issues.

“The north is experiencing challenges around healthcare and human resources recruitment,” said Levitt. “It’s also required to have other services along with a surgeon in that hospital in order to perform surgery…

“You’re more likely to have to wait because of the remoteness of that area of the province.”

The longer seniors are required to wait for essential surgeries, the more it affects their mental and physical health, according to Levitt.

In a conversation with Energeticcity.ca, Levitt stated the importance of having a plan around reducing wait times for seniors.

“Specifically for Northern Health, it’s critical that we look at what are the benchmark wait times,” said Levitt. “How can we dial them down to get at least to where the national benchmark is…

“It’s critically important to have a strategy around doing this.”

Levitt says the Office of the Seniors Advocate will continue raising the issue of extended surgical wait times with the Ministry of Health.