The three 麻豆精选-area BC Conservative MLAs are urging Health Minister Josie Osborne to hear firsthand from frontline health workers struggling in what they call a full-blown crisis at 麻豆精选 General Hospital (KGH).
MLAs Gavin Dew (麻豆精选鈥揗ission), Kristina Loewen (麻豆精选 Centre), and Macklin McCall (West 麻豆精选鈥揚eachland) are inviting the minister to a to address what they describe as growing failures in local health care鈥攆rom emergency delays to children鈥檚 services, and what they say is a lack of political accountability.
鈥淕iven the unprecedented crisis happening right now, the minister of health needs to look these people in the eye, actually listen to them, and convince them things are going to change,鈥� Dew said in a media release.
Dew said the call to action comes after a recent tour of the KGH emergency department, where MLAs heard directly from staff.
鈥淲hat we have all heard over and over is clear鈥攃onfidence is shattered, morale is dangerously low, and people feel abandoned and unheard,鈥� Dew said. 鈥淢inister Osborne has not set foot in KGH since becoming health minister.鈥�
McCall said the situation isn鈥檛 just about a lack of staff 鈥� it鈥檚 about a lack of leadership.
鈥淭he people keeping KGH running deserve to have their voices heard,鈥� he said.
Loewen pointed to system-wide problems and said the province has ignored warning signs.
鈥淒octors are going public because they鈥檝e run out of options and they have no confidence there is a plan to fix this,鈥� she added.
Dew said he also heard from KGH doctors that there is space for 36 beds in an unfinished area of the Centennial Building, which opened in 2012. It鈥檚 an issue he brought up in the Legislature in April, but added he has had no formal response from the health minister as to why the space is not being used.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a capacity problem 鈥� we have a crisis of political leadership by a government that doesn鈥檛 seem to care about our region because we don鈥檛 elect New Democrats,鈥� Dew added.
The town hall will run from 5 to 7 p.m. at a location to be announced. Organizers say it will go ahead with or without the minister. Registration is now open through .
