Five potential recruits in talks to join Kamloops hospital after ob/gyn resignations

Five obstetrician-gynecologists are in active talks about joining Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) in Kamloops, following the mass resignation of the hospital’s entire ob/gyn team in mid-October, according to the Interior Health (IH) authority.RIH’s seven obstetrician-gynecologists tendered their resignations while citing extreme burnout, chronic understaffing and unfulfilled promises of support. The group said in a letter that ongoing “safety issues due to changing workload and inability to recruit” had made their work untenable.In an interview with CastanetKamloops.net news portal, IH CEO Sylvia Weir said the health authority has taken over recruitment efforts at the physicians’ request and is seeing early success. “It looks like we have five obstetricians at different stages of approach, interviews and references—so we are making good progress on recruitment, which is fantastic.” The prospective hires include candidates from the U.S., other parts of Canada and overseas.Staff shortagesThe resigning physicians previously described an unsustainable call schedule, often covering two or more 24-hour shifts per week—up to 48 hours without rest—due to staff shortages. They said earlier recruitment and locum support from IH had been inadequate. They also cited safety issues.Weir told the news portal she remains optimistic that some or all of the resigning physicians may reconsider and stay at RIH, noting that the authority intends to continue recruiting regardless, to help reduce workload pressures.Compensation details for the potential new recruits or the potential returning physicians have not been disclosed.FPs, nurses, midwivesIn addition to recruiting new obstetricians, IH is planning what Weir called a reinvigoration of maternal, newborn and child health programs, including exploring how family physicians, midwives, nurses and clinical assistants could help ease pressures on ob/gyns.The resigning obstetrician-gynaecologists continue to provide on-call coverage at RIH, although one physician’s parental leave has created a gap in the schedule.IH vice-president of medicine Dr. Mark Masterson confirmed to Castanet that some on-call shifts at RIH remain unfilled through year’s end, though the status changes daily.He said IH is working with the medical staff in the department as well as locums across the province to fill shifts whenever possible. Contingency plans are in place should shifts remain unfilled—including local coverage arrangements and patient transfers if needed. To date, no patients have required transfer outside Kamloops.

Five potential recruits in talks to join Kamloops hospital after ob/gyn resignations

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