Interior Health (IH) gave a presentation to Williams Lake City Council covering various focus areas.
Two of the larger topics were emergency department stabilization and recruitment update, which boiled down to lack of childcare being one of the main factors.
Vice President of Clinical Operations for the North, Diane Shendruk says they’re aware that staff have even stepped away from their positions.
“Staff have chosen to leave permanent regular lines to move to casual status, and that is in order to provide them with the flexibility to access care for their children.” says Shendruk.
“We are also aware that it is a top priority for new people joining the community with their families, and that is one of the first questions that they do seek answers to is the access to childcare.”
During the presentation, Interior Health revealed 40 percent of physician and registered nurse positions in the emergency department are occupied.
To help attract health care workers, IH has added incentives including three month accommodation and a $20,000 signing bonus for new permanent hires.
Chief of Staff, Dr. Jacques Neuhoff says the incentives are helping attract new hires, noting that they’ve already got ten hires so far in the second quarter.
Their presentation to council further added the hospital’s outflow is on a downward trend.
The full presentation can be found on the City of Williams Lake website here.
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