FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
John Rustad, Elenore Sturko, and Trevor Halford Call Out David Eby and BC NDP for Substandard Patient Care at Surrey Hospital
“For years, David Eby has ignored the alarming crisis at Surrey Memorial. The letter from SMH physicians clearly states, ‘The deteriorating conditions in our ED are unequivocally leading to substandard care,’ yet the NDP does nothing. Eby is more interested in handing out free drugs than investing in healthcare that British Columbians desperately need.” - John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia
September 16th, Surrey, BC: John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South and Conservative Candidate for Surrey-Cloverdale, and Trevor Halford, Conservative Candidate for Surrey-White Rock, denounced Premier David Eby and the BC NDP for neglecting the worsening conditions at Surrey Memorial Hospital’s (SMH) Emergency Department. A scathing letter from SMH emergency physicians highlights severe staffing shortages, deteriorating patient care, and the NDP’s refusal to act.
“For years, David Eby has ignored the alarming crisis at Surrey Memorial,” said Rustad. “The letter from SMH physicians clearly states, ‘The deteriorating conditions in our ED are unequivocally leading to substandard care,’ yet the NDP does nothing. Eby is more interested in handing out free drugs than investing in healthcare that British Columbians desperately need.”
Key Facts and Findings from the SMH Physicians’ Letter:
- Severe Congestion and Staffing Failures: The letter outlines a 30% increase in patient volumes over four years, while staffing has only increased by 8%. The ED has seen congestion worsen by 17%, making it the busiest in Canada. Physicians are overwhelmed, with patient care suffering drastically.
- Unanswered Pleas for Help: Physicians reported multiple Code Orange requests due to unsafe conditions—only one of 25 was approved. The letter directly questions why 95% of these calls were denied, highlighting a systemic failure to respond to critical care needs.
- Ignored Proposals and Lack of Leadership: The letter calls out Fraser Health’s CEO Dr. Victoria Lee for failing to follow up on a “staffing stabilization proposal” that emergency physicians spent hundreds of hours developing. “Despite repeated efforts, our pleas for intervention have been met with silence,” the letter states.
Sturko expressed outrage, stating, “The doctors are asking, ‘Why do conditions continue to deteriorate?’ while David Eby pretends everything is fine. This is not just mismanagement; it’s a complete betrayal of our healthcare professionals and patients.”
Halford highlighted the stark disparities between Surrey Memorial and other hospitals in Vancouver. “Physicians at SMH are left with less support, lower pay, and a far higher workload compared to Vancouver hospitals. Meanwhile, Eby spends millions on failed policies that hand out free drugs but won’t invest in fixing our healthcare crisis.”
The BC Conservatives’ “Patients First” Healthcare plan emphasizes funding for frontline care, supporting healthcare workers, and expanding emergency services to put patient care at the forefront.
“David Eby and the NDP have abandoned British Columbians,” Rustad concluded. “They have ignored the experts, prioritized free drug programs, and turned their backs on our communities. On election day, vote for the Conservative Party to bring common sense change, real leadership, real solutions, and put patients first.”
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For more information, please contact [email protected].
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