A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by BC Conservative Party shows thousands of patients in the Northern Health region have left hospital emergency rooms without receiving care.
The report shows more than 239,000 patients in the Northern Health region went to the ER during the 2024-25 fiscal year, the most in 6 years. The data also shows that 4,499 patients left without being seen by a healthcare professional, which makes up 1.9% of total visits.
Six years ago, just under 227,000 patients visited the ER, with 2,917 patients leaving without receiving care. That amounts to a 54.2% increase in patients leaving without being seen.
Across the province of BC, data shows almost 2,6 million patients visited an emergency department during the 2024-25 fiscal year, an increase of 13% over the past 6 years. 141,961 patients left without receiving care, an increase of 86% over the same period.
“That’s 141,961 people who turned to the system in a moment of crisis and were turned away by a government that simply isn’t listening,” said the conservatives.
The conservatives are pointing the finger at the NDP Government by saying that emergency departments have been plagued by severe staffing shortages and dangerous wait times. The party is calling for “immediate regional oversight and accountability measures.”