Seven obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops have resigned from Interior Health (IH).
"Nothing will change for patients right now," wrote Dr. Mark Masterson, IH vice president in medicine, in an email to the Tribune. "Anyone who is pregnant and in labour should still go to the hospital as early as possible to be assessed, and emergency care for people in imminent labour or experiencing urgent complications will be available."
This isn't the first time IH has faced issues across its hospitals. Over the last couple of years, some IH hospitals have suffered frequent or periodic ER closures, at times confirmed to be due to staffing shortages. It also saw a prolonged closure of its pediatric unit at the Kelowna General Hospital in May due to a staffing shortage, with the unit only reopening in August.
Masterson said that, in the short term, IH has increased incentives for locum (temporary) coverage and is expediting an enhanced contract model to attract OB/GYNs who have shown interest in working in Kamloops. He also stated that IH is working on recruitment to support a phased transition in early 2026 and has invested in creating a Maternity, Child, Neonatal, and Youth program to ensure access to sustainable services in the future.
Meanwhile, MLAs have been calling the resignations a sign of a larger problem.
“This is what eight years of NDP mismanagement looks like,” said Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centre, in a press release from the B.C. Conservatives. “Doctors have been sounding the alarm for years, and this government has turned a blind eye. Specialists are walking away because they no longer feel supported or safe, and physicians warn that Kamloops could face a complete loss of specialist women’s health services within four to six months if the government fails to act.”
In June, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson expressed concerns that healthcare workers don't want to work with Interior Health. This was following the closure of a detox centre in Williams Lake due to a shortage of healthcare workers. Black Press Media has also spoken with past IH employees who alleged their workplaces were a "hostile environment" where they witnessed or faced racism, bullying, micromanagement and a lack of support.
In September, IH also saw the Thompson Region Family Obstetrics physician group closed to new referrals. The health authority directed expecting patients to reach out to their family doctors or nurse practitioners, as well as Healthy from the Start (1-855-868-7710) for additional support and information. Alternatively, patients without a primary care provider were asked to reach out to First Step Early Pregnancy Clinic, which provides antenatal care up to 30 weeks of pregnancy. At the time, IH said patients would be able to access labour and delivery services at RIH.
"All patients will be assessed, and depending on medical staff availability, may be transported to alternate hospitals to deliver their babies. If out-of-community care is required, families will be informed, and transportation and accommodation support will be provided if needed. For information and assistance, please call 250-314-2635 to speak with RIH Labour and Delivery."
At the time of publication, IH has not responded to further questions about how the resignations will affect access to care in the Cariboo region and what access to OB/GYN services currently looks like at hospitals in Williams Lake, 100 Mile and Clearwater.
B.C.'s Ministry of Health has also not responded to Black Press' request for an interview regarding access to women's healthcare in the Cariboo region following these resignations.
Black Press Media has reached out to IH for further comment, this story will be updated once more information becomes available.
With files from Gary Barnes.
