Opposition slams B.C. health minister’s hospital oversight as fatal incidents alleged

The Opposition hammered the B.C. NDP on the issues plaguing the health-care system, including the alleged death of a patient in a hospital hallway.

As the premier came under repeated fire from the opposition Conservatives in the legislature, B.C.’s health minister was target number two Monday afternoon.

Three MLAs peppered Josie Osborne with questions after raising serious incidents related to hospital care.

Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission, said a whistleblower had come forward with claims about “a young woman who tragically died this month in the hallway of Kelowna General Hospital and another hallway patient who went into cardiac arrest and ended up in the ICU.”

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He asked Osborne how many people have died in hospital hallways in British Columbia under her watch. She did not provide a number but insisted her government is prioritizing healthcare.

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Mental health and addiction critic, Claire Rattee, raised the case of a “young man who slipped through the cracks after being left waiting without proper supervision or support in Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s psychiatric unit.”

Osborne reminded Rattee that she couldn’t discuss specific cases, but acknowledged “that doesn’t remove the responsibility and the urgency to which this government is continuing to act, to build out this system of care for people at a time when they need it most.”

Rural healthcare critic, Brennan Day, alleged the province is “juicing the number to paper over their failure” to connect British Columbians searching for a family doctor with a primary care provider.

Osborne provided several statistics and metrics in response, insisting that progress is being made on a number of fronts, including “attaching” patients to primary care providers, recruiting physicians and nurses, as well as building infrastructure like cancer treatment centres.

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“Our government continues to raise the budget of the health system, to make sure that we continue to strengthen this system,” she said. “We are going to continue this work and we’re not going to stop.”