Kamloops MLAs call out Interior Health ‘mismanagement’ as pregnancy care takes another hit

Pregnancy specialists are leaving Royal Inland Hospital and BC Conservatives are pointing the blame at years of government mismanagement.

Seven obstetrician-gynecologists resigned their privileges to give in-hospital care, citing unsafe workloads, chronic staff shortages and a lack of government support, according to a BC Conservative news release issued today, Oct. 14.

“Doctors have been sounding the alarm for years, and this government has turned a blind eye,” Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar said.

But according to Interior Health CEO Sylvia Weir, patient care will remain consistent.

“Nothing will change for patients right now,” she said. “This decision triggers a transition plan that will take some months.”

As Interior Health steps up its efforts to replace them, doctors are required to hand over their case load.

“I met all the obstetricians over the weekend and they were very clear, as am I, about the priority for patient care,” Weir said.

She said the doctors expressed feeling “over-stretched” by the workload. While there are more midwives than ever, a shortage of physicians, along with working doctors taking on fewer hours, leaves a pressing workload.

“I think things are changing for a lot of physicians, as they are for a lot of people in their professions,” Weir said. “They don’t necessarily want to work all the time, and they may want to work part-time or take a different kind of role. So, I think there are a lot of things playing into their decision.”

It comes after the Thompson Region Family Obstetrics clinic announced it would no longer be taking new patients. Its future remains uncertain.

Before that, Interior Health announced its Royal Inland Hospital maternity ward risked periodic closures due to a physician shortage, though it didn’t result in patients being sent elsewhere.

“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.”

The BC Conservative statement lambasting “eight years of NDP mismanagement” came hours after CFJC published a leaked letter in which the seven specialists detailed why they were giving up in-hospital care.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve heard these warnings, and that’s what makes it so frustrating. Royal Inland Hospital is a central hub and a critical lifeline for the region, yet the NDP continues to ignore the frontline staff who keep it running,” Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer said in the release.

— This story was updated with comments from Sylvia Weir at at 4:56 p.m., Oct. 14, 2025.