Dix promises review, offers little relief to staff after waiting room death at Royal Inland Hospital

KAMLOOPS — B.C.’s health minister says a woman’s death in a waiting area outside of the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) emergency room this week will be reviewed, but offered little optimism for exhausted front-line staff at the hospital.

Adrian Dix called an impromptu news conference Thursday afternoon (Sept. 9), in part to address persistent questions about staffing levels at RIH.

A 70-year-old woman died early Wednesday morning while waiting to be seen in the ER.

Dix offered his condolences to the woman’s family and assured reporters the death will be reviewed.

“The issue will be fully reviewed, both by Interior Health and, potentially, through the Patient [Care] Quality Review Board independently to get a full view of that. To comment on that in advance of that isn’t the right thing, nor is it in terms of privacy,” said Dix.

“There is an automatic process of review in these circumstances. We can’t talk about individual cases but we know the impact on the lives of everyone around that person and everyone who works in the E.R., who works in a dedicated and diligent way every day. We know, in these times — these are very challenging times at Royal Inland and everywhere else.”

The woman’s death came after ongoing reports of staff challenges at RIH. A higher-than-normal proportion of nurses are leaving due to burnout, while other resources are being diverted to care for intensive care patients, many of whom are suffering from COVID-19.

Dix was asked what the province would do in the short-term to support staff remaining at the hospital, including in the emergency room, and vaguely alluded to past actions.

“We’ve invested money this year, $1 million to increase staffing levels at Royal Inland Hospital and to address what’s a continuing challenge in the emergency room there. We’ve added resources,” Dix said. “Kamloops has been a priority over the last number of years and it continues to be a priority.”

The minister also noted members of the public can help by getting vaccinated against COVID-19, reducing the chance they will need to occupy an intensive care bed at RIH.