VICTORIA, B.C.: The Conservative Opposition is warning that British Columbia’s healthcare system is reaching a breaking point after four psychiatrists at Vernon Jubilee Hospital resigned this week, citing overwhelming workloads and lack of support.
Conservative MLAs representing the Kelowna and the South Okanagan say this is just the latest example of a healthcare system in crisis. Earlier this year, Kelowna General Hospital lost its pediatric unit for seven weeks due to staffing shortages, and this week, Kamloops saw the mass resignation of seven obstetrician-gynecologists from Royal Inland Hospital over concerns about workload.
“I am gravely concerned about the future of healthcare in BC and in the Interior. We have toxic workplaces and completely overwhelmed and overworked frontline workers. Interior Health fails to plan ahead and this government fails to push for the change that is needed,” said Kristina Loewen, MLA for Kelowna-Centre. “First pediatricians in Kelowna, then OB-GYNs in Kamloops, and now psychiatrists in Vernon. Families are losing access to care, frontline workers are burning out, and the Minister of Health is still pretending it’s all under control.”
Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission, said the resignations highlight a broader collapse in public confidence. “I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but frankly, this has not been a strong start for the new Interior Health CEO. The people who hold our healthcare system together are walking away because they feel abandoned. This isn’t just about wages or recruitment. It’s about culture and confidence. Doctors, nurses, and patients have lost faith that the system will listen, fix problems, or protect them when they speak up. If we don’t see a serious change in direction soon, we will be forced to assume nothing has changed under new leadership.”
Macklin McCall, MLA for West Kelowna–Peachland, said Interior Health’s crisis has gone beyond what local staff can handle. “Every week, another part of our regional healthcare system breaks. People are exhausted and angry because this didn’t happen overnight. It’s the direct result of years of NDP mismanagement and neglect. The Premier and his Health Minister need to stop with the nonsense talking points, stop hiding behind press releases and photo-ops, and start showing up to fix the mess they made.”
The Conservative Opposition is calling for immediate intervention to stabilize Interior Health, including emergency recruitment measures, mental health supports for healthcare workers, and an independent review of management and oversight within the health authority.
“British Columbians deserve more than slogans and spin,” added Loewen. “They deserve a government that takes responsibility, restores confidence, and rebuilds a system that people can believe in again.”
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Media Contact:
Ryan Painter
Communications
Ryan.Painter@leg.bc.ca
