Monday, April 8, 2024

Prince Rupert Port Authority adds its voice to those of concern over current Health challenges in region

The City of Prince Rupert has made public a letter from the Prince Rupert Port Authority that shares the concerns of the region's largest industrial group and employer over the current challenges facing health care in the community.

Mayor Herb Pond made note of the Port's letter to Premier David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix at last week's Town Hall Forum and the full document has now been posted to the Council Agenda for tonight's Council meeting.

Of note from the letter from Ken Veldman, Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability,   the Port notes of the impact the ongoing situation could have on port operations

"A lack of local health and emergency services threaten the resiliency of the Prince Rupert Gateway. We understand that many communities in our province grapple with similar healthcare staffing challenges, but we want to reiterate that the impacts of service disruptions at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital could have ramifications on port operations.

The Port’s ability to continue to grow, and corresponding ability to create new employment opportunities in a wide variety of businesses, will only add to the community’s prioritization of labour force recruitment and retention. Perceptions that basic health and emergency services cannot be fulfilled within the community will make this task even more challenging. 

PRPA and port partners continue to be vital community members that support Prince Rupert through ongoing port expansion, economic benefits, tax base growth and community investment. However, we all rely on adequate and reliable health services and a vibrant community to support the workforce demands that anchor our essential trade gateway for British Columbia and Canada."

The full letter from the PRPA can be reviewed  below:

click to enlarge 

Also part of today's Agenda package is an update from BC Emergency Health Services, which outlines the measures now in place to assist the community during this period of health care challenges.

Reinforcements for BC EHS Service have been brought
to Prince Rupert to assist the community during the currebt
Health care challenges 


The main thrust of that correspondence notes of the additional supports brought in as the Emergency Room Closures expanded through March and now into April.

"Recent overnight emergency department closures in Prince Rupert have resulted in the temporary, proactive addition of multiple BCEHS resources in your community to support any emergency responses that may result in diversion to Terrace or elsewhere. 

This additional support includes increased paramedics and leadership as well as ambulance resources. I was also in your community along with our Chief Operations Officer Jennie Helmer last week to meet our crews and ensure they are getting the supports they need. 

We are bringing this proactive approach to resource planning to Prince Rupert as well as other communities across the province that are also experiencing similar closures and diversions, and therefore these are dynamically deployed resources that will be relocated when the situation stabilizes. 

Our additional support to your community is a short-term measure intended to better support our patients and our staff in Prince Rupert while the health authority works to improve its staffing."

That correspondence from the Agenda package can be reviewed below:

click to enlarge 


Health Care will be the topic for a Stakeholders Meeting today put together by Mayor and Council, 

At last Thursday's Town Hall Forum, Mayor Pond provided a preview of what to expect from the session.

Those discussion will commence just as the Emergency Room at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital reopens after it's latest Overnight closure which was put in place last night by Northern Health, running from 11PM until 8 AM today.

You can review some of the past history of the ten plus Emergency Room Closures for the community from our archive page here.

More notes on what's ahead for Prince Rupert City Council tonight can be reviewed through our Council Preview.

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