The Cariboo Memorial Hospital’s emergency department and nursing shortage continues to be a hot topic for Williams Lake City Council.
Councillor Joan Flaspohler said the City received an email from a registered nurse on medical leave due to harassment from corporate representatives of Interior Health (IH), along with bullying and racism lodged by employees and external agencies.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor says the City has been calling for a review of the hospitals operations and Management since early July.
“All I wanted to hear from the Ministers office, Interior Health Association, from the authorities offices ‘we found the problem, we fixed the problem, and there will be no more closures’. That’s all I wanted to know.” says Rathor.
“I understand it’s not an easy objective, but I want them to stand with me that we are doing everything we can possibly to address the concern.”
Minister of Health Adrian Dix, who attended the meeting through zoom, said they look to ask Interior Health Authority Chair, Robert Halpenny, to engage with staff.
While this doesn’t exactly match Council’s ask for an external review, Dix did mention that Halpenny isn’t an employee of IH, and will work with others in the community.
Rathor says it’s up to their bosses to find the toxic work environment and fix it.
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