Preventable deaths, violent attacks: doctor alleges deteriorating conditions at Fraser Health hospitals

brought into the emergency room at Royal Columbian Hospital, causing chaos and fear among patients and staff.

Stockton alleges that the deteriorating conditions in these hospitals are a result of mismanagement and a lack of resources by the Fraser Health Authority. She claims that the health authority has repeatedly ignored pleas for help from medical staff, leading to unsafe and substandard patient care.

In response to Stockton’s lawsuit, 50 B.C. emergency room physicians have come forward in support of her, stating that they share her concerns about the quality of patient care in Fraser Health-managed hospitals. They are calling for improvements to the emergency care system, transparency, and accountability from the health authority.

Despite the support from her colleagues, Stockton claims that she has faced retaliation from Fraser Health for speaking out. She alleges that after she and other medical staff posted a sign warning patients about the overcrowded and understaffed conditions in the emergency room, she was threatened with the revocation of her hospital privileges and ultimately fired through constructive dismissal.

The lawsuit also highlights a specific incident following the Lapu-Lapu Day festival attack in Vancouver, where Fraser Health allegedly denied a physician’s request to activate a code orange protocol at Royal Columbian Hospital, despite being notified that they would be receiving critically injured patients. This decision, according to Stockton, put patients’ lives at risk and overwhelmed the hospital’s already stretched resources.

Stockton’s lawsuit paints a grim picture of the working conditions in these hospitals, describing them as “unpleasant, undignified, and extremely unsafe” for patients. It alleges that overcrowding has led to severe patient harm, including deaths, and that violent incidents have become increasingly common.

As Stockton continues to fight for justice and accountability from Fraser Health, she hopes that her lawsuit will bring attention to the urgent need for change in the management of these hospitals. She believes that patients deserve better care and that medical staff should not have to fear retaliation for speaking out about unsafe conditions. Only time will tell if Stockton’s whistleblowing will lead to real change in the Fraser Health Authority’s management of these hospitals.