More than 100 residents attended a town hall in Kelowna. They collectively organized to address pressing health care concerns affecting their local community. The All-MLA Caucus was convened by Central Okanagan Conservative MLAs Gavin Dew, Macklin McCall, and Kristina Loew. It provided an opportunity for members of the public, doctors, and other healthcare experts to express their frustrations and tell their stories.
Desiree Thring was one of the participants. She told the tragic story of losing her parents due to the terrible strain on our health care system. Her story resonated deeply with many present, illuminating the human cost of systemic failures in health care delivery.
This lived experience was addressed at the town hall by important speakers from the medical community. Dr. Matthew Petrie, another emergency physician, followed to reinforce the need for emergency reform yesterday. He emphasized how working with other stakeholders and engaging with the community were essential in pushing for systemic change.
“To be part of a movement towards positive change,” – Dr. Matthew Petrie
Dr. Duncan de Souza, the head of the anesthesia department at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). He has raised serious concerns about the state of health care and its future in the region. He noted that medical professionals have been urging Interior Health (IH) for years to improve staffing levels and health care delivery models.
Dr. Paula Espino had just come off a 24-hour shift when she joined the meeting. She shared her anger about the major cutbacks in KGH’s obstetrics unit. She shared that the region’s health services have decreased by over 2/3 since 2020! This very disturbing trend should raise great alarm as to the quality of care being provided.
“The problem is you burn out the people on the front line, you won’t have anyone else,” – Dr. Paula Espino
Dr. Brenda Farnquist, president of the British Columbia Radiological Society, expressed agreement with these sentiments. She bemoaned the growing wait time for patients, saying that “wait times are lifetimes.” The closure of the pediatric unit at KGH further illustrates the dire situation, as many pediatricians resigned, leaving families without critical care options.
Gavin Dew addressed the audience, acknowledging the community’s desire for improvement within the health care system. He expressed optimism regarding potential solutions, stating, “There is a real desire to see the system be better.” He then urged everyone in attendance to keep fighting for the changes they want to see.
“Our ability to do that work as advocates for you is strengthened by hearing from you and that is why we are here tonight,” – Gavin Dew
Even virtual, the meeting ignited more than a few passionate debates among participants. Most importantly, it moved the public and even more importantly health care practitioners to join them in the fight. The existing family practice group has dwindled down to less than ten providers. It used to have 40-45 PCPs (family physicians and family physician-trained midwifery teams).
Desiree Thring’s tragic story reminded us just how deeply personal these systemic issues are. She reflected on her experiences navigating the health care system during her parents’ illness and the struggles she faced in obtaining timely assistance.
“I experienced firsthand the struggles of trying to get help in a timely manner,” – Desiree Thring
Medical professionals are not immune to the challenges highlighted by this town hall. Dr. Espino’s passion for her work shone through as she shared her story. She saw the daunting reality of being on the front lines of health care.
“I love my job but it’s becoming really, really hard to be in the workforce and on the front lines,” – Dr. Paula Espino
Dr. Farnquist underscored the strain on the system. Even though they have some good people over at IH supporting their efforts, their contributions can’t even begin to touch the tide of demands.
“We have really good people working in IHA helping to support us but it’s not enough and I’m here because I want the opposition to help us get the things that we need,” – Dr. Brenda Farnquist
The town hall ended with palpable sense of urgency and commitment to action from speakers and attendees. They all shared an optimism that their united voices might be enough to ensure real progress in improving access and delivery of quality health care.
