PENTICTON, BC — David Eby’s disastrous record on health care caught up with him in the Okanagan today. Every neurologist who covers bedside on-call at the Penticton Regional Hospital has resigned their hospital privileges.

Doctors say an unworkable Interior Health mandate and a culture of intimidation drove them out. Under the new regional on-call plan, one neurologist working alone would cover 21 emergency departments by phone instead of three, and 500,000 to 600,000 more people. Physicians who spoke out say they were threatened with reports to their regulator.

“When doctors are afraid to put their names to a letter because they fear repercussions, and three highly trained neurologists would rather give up their hospital privileges than work under an unworkable mandate, something has gone terribly wrong,” said Tracy St. Claire, Conservative candidate for Penticton-Summerland. “David Eby is in the region today making more healthcare promises, while right here in Penticton we are losing the specialists we already have. The NDP talk about recruiting doctors, but they should start by listening to and retaining the doctors who are already here caring for our patients.”

Earlier in the day, media also pressed Eby on why he is only now promising to fund an unfinished floor at Kelowna General Hospital, when the floor sat empty for a decade under the NDP.

“David Eby will say anything right now in a desperate attempt to save his job,” added St. Claire. “British Columbians have an opportunity for change, and Lorne Doerkson and our Conservative team are ready to deliver.”

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Media Contact:
Alex Shiff, Director of Media Relations
media@conservativebc.ca