Fallout continues over allegations that homeless patients were discharged from Surrey Memorial Hospital and shuttled by taxi to Chilliwack shelters.

Premier John Horgan described the allegations from Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove sent to Fraser Health as 91裸聊视频渟tartling91裸聊视频� during his weekly media availability Thursday in the legislature in Victoria.

91裸聊视频淚f that is in fact the case, that91裸聊视频檚 startling for me and I think startling for all British Columbians,91裸聊视频� Horgan said.

91裸聊视频淲hy we brought in a minister of mental health and addictions is so that we didn91裸聊视频檛 have examples like this, where we find cracks in the system, and those who have potential mental health challenges are left to their own devices.91裸聊视频�

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Popove91裸聊视频檚 letter criticized how hospital officials decided to discharge two patients on separate occasions last month and send them to shelters when they still required some level of care. One person was incontinent and the other had open sores on their feet.

91裸聊视频淎 homeless shelter is no place for a person with health concerns or special medical needs,91裸聊视频� Popove said in his letter to Fraser Health CEO Dr. Victoria Lee, adding Chilliwack struggles with its own ability to house its homeless.

Chilliwack MLA John Martin also broached the topic during question period this week, asking Health Minister Adrian Dix to pledge this would never happen again.

He asked how it could be that 91裸聊视频渟ignificantly vulnerable91裸聊视频� patients like the ones described in the mayor91裸聊视频檚 letter could be dispatched to a shelter almost 80 kilometres away.

91裸聊视频淭he great people of Chilliwack do more than their share of heavy lifting on the homeless front,91裸聊视频� Martin said. 91裸聊视频淚n short, they punch above their weight.91裸聊视频�

Dix said he would follow up on the circumstances. 91裸聊视频淲e have very significantly increased our investment in health care in the last number of years but that doesn91裸聊视频檛 mean that in every case things are perfect.91裸聊视频�

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Fraser Health spokesman Dixon Tam confirmed CEO Dr. Lee had reached out to Popove that morning to review his concerns, which are being taken 91裸聊视频渧ery seriously91裸聊视频� and are 91裸聊视频渢roubling91裸聊视频� for everyone.

91裸聊视频淲hen a patient is medically stable and ready to leave the hospital, we make every effort to find them suitable housing if they don91裸聊视频檛 have a home to return to,91裸聊视频� Tam wrote in an email.

91裸聊视频淚t is very unusual to transition a patient into a different community unless they ask for this, or if it is the only community with housing that meets their needs at the time.91裸聊视频�

Hospital beds are reserved for patients with the highest health needs, Tam continued.

91裸聊视频淎 discharge transition from an emergency room to a shelter would only happen when the patient is deemed medically stable, community services (if needed) have been set up, and if it has been agreed to by the shelter staff.91裸聊视频�

Fraser Health is working with BC Housing and municipalites to develop more options, he said, while making sure not to use hospital beds as an alternative to proper housing.

91裸聊视频�With files from Tom Fletcher

jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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