Surrey Memorial’s pediatric ward over capacity, slammed daily with 100s of patients: ER doctor – CBC
Doctor says the department was built for 72 patients a day but currently sees around 250
Nov 24, 2022
An emergency physician at Surrey Memorial Hospital says the hospital’s pediatric ER is reaching its breaking point as children and their families pour in seeking help.
Dr. Randeep Gill says the hospital’s pediatric ER was built for 72 patients a day but is seeing around 250, 100 more than last year, pushing staff and infrastructure beyond their limits.
“We are the busiest pediatric department in the province,” said Gill. “We’re definitely well over our capacity.”
Health centres across Canada have been experiencing a surge in admissions of children, according to Children’s Healthcare Canada, much of that linked to mounting cases of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, influenza and RSV.
Some families have reported waiting 11 hours at an ER to see a doctor.
