A staffing shortage has forced the West Coast General’s ICU to close, meaning those taken to the hospital with life-threatening ailments will be transported out of Port Alberni to intensive care units elsewhere.
“This is a temporary measure until adequate nursing, allied health and physician staffing levels are in place for the ICU,” stated Island Health, noting that the closure begins today at the Port Alberni hospital.
Announced to the public just one day before, the decision was made after discussions from the hospital’s leading doctors determined an ICU closure was needed “to uphold safe patient care and support staff in delivering the best care possible.”
“Based on these discussions and a request from ICU physicians, Island Health is temporarily adjusting services for the three-bed ICU at WCGH,” stated Island Health.
This means that, for the time being, those taken to the Port Alberni hospital who require the highest level of life support and critical care will be transported by Emergency Health Services – either by ground ambulance or helicopter.
“They will be stabilized at WCGH and transferred to the most appropriate hospital, following emergency transfer processes,” said Island Health. “It is expected that most patients will be transferred to the new, state-of-the-art ICU and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.”
Before the ICU closure, approximately 30 per cent of these critical patients were already transferred to a higher level of care in another medical facility. Most of these transfers are to Nanaimo Regional General, which in recent years has tripled its ICU capacity.
Meanwhile, the Port Alberni’s Hospital’s emergency department will continue to operate, and “internal medicine” physicians who normally work in the ICU will be there to support patients, said the health authority. Serving a large region that stretches out to communities on Vancouver Island’s west coast, West Coast General’s emergency department sees an average of over 50 patients a day.
On Nov. 20 Mid-Island Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne acknowledged the concern many across the region will have after hearing of the ICU closure.
“I want to recognize how stressful this is for people in the community,” said Osborne in an online message from the B.C. legislature in Victoria.
Osborne, who is also B.C.’s minister of Health, assured the region’s residents that the West Coast General will still be ready to receive patients.
“The emergency department remains ready to respond as normal,” she said. “There are contingency plans to place, and I want to ensure everyone that West Coast General is well versed in safe transfer practices for patients who need intensive care.”
These transfers are provided by Emergency Health Services, but Port Alberni’s paramedics are already challenged in a community that continues to deal with a high rate of drug overdoses. Last December the Port Alberni RCMP ended up transporting a stabbing victim to the hospital when there wasn’t an ambulance available.
“BC Ambulance Service were busing on other calls and unable to immediately attend,” stated a release from the Port Alberni RCMP, issued Dec. 16, 2024. “A police officer carried the victim out of the two-storey building and rode in the back seat while attempting to keep pressure on the victim’s wounds.”
“The male was stabilized at hospital before being transported out of the community for additional medical treatment,” added the RCMP.
Osborne said that support will be available for those taken elsewhere for critical medical treatment.
“I can assure you that people and their loved ones will be fully supported by social workers, clinical teams and discharge teams if transfers are required,” she said. “Once transfer patients no longer need intensive care, they’ll be transferred back to the community where they can heal closest to home.”
The health minister also acknowledged that Port Alberni’s recent ICU closure is symptomatic of a widespread shortage in health care workers.
“Part of the bigger picture here is a health care workforce shortage. We are doing everything possible as a province to hire more staff,” said Osborne, noting international recruitment campaigns and measures being undertaken to “fast-track” the necessary credentials for medical professionals coming from the United States.
While announcing the ICU closure, Island Health stated that $4.1 million has been recently invested to hire the equivalent of 17 full-time staff for the West Coast General’s intensive care unit and emergency department. The health authority is “actively recruiting” nurse practitioners to support patients.
“We need more staff in Port Alberni as soon as possible. Island Health is working as fast as they can to do so,” said Osborne.
