Northern Health will be postponing surgeries at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. and other hospitals across northern B.C. due to staffing challenges and COVID-19 pressures, the health authority announced on Tuesday.
Patients whose procedures will be affected will be contacted directly, a statement issued by Northern Health said.
“Northern Health is proactively identifying services to be adjusted as we manage the ongoing staffing impacts on the health system, to ensure we can continue to provide safe patient care,” said Northern Health president and CEO, Cathy Ulrich. “Existing staffing challenges in the North are compounded by Omicron-related impacts, and some staff will need to be temporarily reassigned within communities in the region, to ensure essential service levels.”
In addition to UHNBC, Northern Health announced reductions in surgical services at Wrinch Memorial Hospital in Hazelton, Bulkley Valley District Hospital in Smithers and Dawson Creek and District Hospital.
In additional to surgical postponements, Northern Health announced that staffing at long-term care facilities throughout the north is being monitored on a daily basis.
Several facilities have paused admissions and are operating fewer beds to ensure safe levels of care are provided. In addition, there will be temporary reductions in adult day programs and non-urgent home health services.
Temporary reductions in outpatient ambulatory clinics, some community care services and outpatient laboratory services will be seen in some communities in the Northern Health region.
Situation response teams have been put in place to support site managers in Hazelton and Burns Lake, where staffing challenges are being faced across all facilities and services.
“The pandemic has placed inordinate pressure on health care workers in Northern Health across all service areas, but we have also seen innovation and creativity in addressing these challenges,” Ulrich said. “I thank everyone working in health care in northern B.C. for their extraordinary commitment and dedication to the health and wellbeing of northerners.”
Northern Health is committed to restoring services to normal levels as quickly as possible, as rates of staff absences and illness decline, the statement added.
During a public briefing on Tuesday afternoon, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said, more than 1,100 health care workers in the Northern Health region called in sick last week.
Increased illness among health care workers is being seen across the province, and other health authorities across the province were also announcing service reductions today, he said.
“Our healthcare workers have been performing exceptionally well to get us through this pandemic…” Dix said. “I am unceasingly grateful for their endurance and strength.”
More British Columbians are now hospitalized with COVID-19 than at any point in the pandemic up to this point, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Tuesday.
A total of 854 people in B.C. were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 112 in intensive care, Dix added. As of Tuesday, 95.1 per cent of B.C. normal hospital beds and 24.2 per cent of the additional surge beds put in place during the pandemic were occupied, Dix said.
GYMS TO REOPEN, HEALTH ORDERS EXTENDED
On Tuesday, Henry extended the current public health orders restrictions on gatherings that were put in place in December. The orders, which were set to end tonight, will now be in place until Feb. 16.
Under those orders, masks are required in all indoor public settings.
Indoor private gatherings in people’s homes are restricted to a maximum of 10 visitors or one other household and everyone 12 and older must be vaccinated.
No indoor organized gatherings like weddings, funeral receptions, parties, etc. are allowed. Organized outdoor gatherings at seated venues are limited to 5,000 people or 50 per cent of the venue capacity, whichever is greater.
Indoor events like concerts, movies, theatre, sporting events, are restricted to 50 per cent of the venue capacity and proof of vaccination is required. Events must be seated and no dancing is allowed.
Sports tournaments are also not allowed.
However, Henry did announce that starting on Jan. 20, gyms and indoor fitness activities will be allowed to reopen with safety rules in place.
Bars, nightclubs and lounges which do not serve food remain closed, and safety restrictions remain in place for restaurants and pubs service food.
“I know that many people thought we were overreacting,” Henry said. “My challenge is to do enough… but also to minimize the social impact as well.”
A full list of the public health orders in effect until Feb. 16 can be found online here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions.
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