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“Temporary” shortage of OB-GYNs is becoming regular for Surrey-White Rock expectant parents Just over three weeks after Fraser Health warned of a “temporary” shortage of obstetrician-gynecologist physicians at Peace Arch Hospital, Monday morning the maternity ward began a second three-day closure over the holidays. The hospital delivers approximately 1,000 babies annually. This is just the latest in a series of recent shutdowns across the Fraser Health and Interior Health regions due to medical staff shortages, including extended overnight ER closures in Mission and 100 Mile House, as well as another four-day maternity ward closure in Maple Ridge. The Peace Arch development is something that was entirely preventable had the government listened to ample warnings from medical staff, according to Interim Leader of the Opposition and MLA for Surrey-White Rock Trevor Halford. “Over the past year, Peace Arch doctors and nurses have consistently warned that maternity ward closures were inev...

Executives at the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation in White Rock say their emergency department is overrun due to population growth in neighbouring Surrey, which is why they have approached the city with a request to build a new tower of up to 20 storeys. While a new hospital under construction in Surrey’s Cloverdale neighbourhood is expected to alleviate some strain, Peace Arch officials say a build-out of their hospital is still needed. The new Cloverdale hospital will be primarily focused on cancer care. They say that although that service is needed, it won’t fill the need for more outpatient care. “The physical space is so limited here at our hospital and it leads to backlogs,” said Stephanie Beck, CEO of the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation ... CLICK HERE for the full story