SEIU-West says the signs of the struggles of the health care system in the province began well before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surgery and organ programs being cancelled along with the confusion by the transferring ICU patients to Ontario are the latest examples of mismanagement by the provincial government according SEIU-West.

ICU capacity in the province has gone beyond its maximum limit.

President Barb Cape says there is a great concern for staffing for healthcare workers. “We are providing COVID and critical complex care outside of the ICU and the struggle quite frankly is that not everybody has that skill set, whether they’re a doctor or member of the nursing team.”

Even when the pandemic is over, the mental health of health workers will be a concern that needs to be addressed according to Cape. “Working in these chaotic and incredibly stressful situations is going to crush people, just shattering the psyche with what they have seen and the decisions that they have to make.” Cape also mentioned that recruitment of new staff could also become another potential problem within the health care system in the province.

Citizens should be questioning their local MLA and asking for answers, Cape says. “Health care workers of all stripes are calling on everyone in this province to demand better from our MLA’s and Premier. We want people to call or visit their MLA and ask them to take responsibility for the mistakes that have been made but also provide clear and transparent plans.”