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 香蕉视频直播渟tartling香蕉视频直播� during his weekly media availability Thursday in the legislature in Victoria.

香蕉视频直播淚f that is in fact the case, that香蕉视频直播檚 startling for me and I think startling for all British Columbians,香蕉视频直播� Horgan said.

香蕉视频直播淲hy we brought in a minister of mental health and addictions is so that we didn香蕉视频直播檛 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.香蕉视频直播�

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Popove香蕉视频直播檚 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.

香蕉视频直播淎 homeless shelter is no place for a person with health concerns or special medical needs,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渟ignificantly vulnerable香蕉视频直播� patients like the ones described in the mayor香蕉视频直播檚 letter could be dispatched to a shelter almost 80 kilometres away.

香蕉视频直播淭he great people of Chilliwack do more than their share of heavy lifting on the homeless front,香蕉视频直播� Martin said. 香蕉视频直播淚n short, they punch above their weight.香蕉视频直播�

Dix said he would follow up on the circumstances. 香蕉视频直播淲e have very significantly increased our investment in health care in the last number of years but that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean that in every case things are perfect.香蕉视频直播�

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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 香蕉视频直播渧ery seriously香蕉视频直播� and are 香蕉视频直播渢roubling香蕉视频直播� for everyone.

香蕉视频直播淲hen a patient is medically stable and ready to leave the hospital, we make every effort to find them suitable housing if they don香蕉视频直播檛 have a home to return to,香蕉视频直播� Tam wrote in an email.

香蕉视频直播淚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.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淎 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.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播�With files from Tom Fletcher

jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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