Labour pains of a different kind: UHNBC obstetrical specialist shortage

UHNBC provides both local and regional OBGYN services to Northerners as a regional receiving hospital. The information is being shared so that pregnant individuals, particularly those are at high risk, are fully informed about any potential changes to their care or birthing experience.
This includes patients from anywhere in the Northern Health region whose care may needs require a transfer to a higher level of care; as is always the case with patient transfers, the clinical decisions leading to those transfers would include an assessment of both the patient’s needs and the appropriate and available facilities to meet them.
The information is being shared so that pregnant individuals, particularly those are at high risk, are fully informed about any potential changes to their care or birthing experience, such as the need for transfer to alternate sites depending on their care needs.
The action for pregnant patients – and primarily those that are at high-risk and especially if not yet connected with a primary prenatal care provide – to make that connection and discuss their care options.
How patients access care, whether through their primary care provider, the maternity unit at UHNBC or the emergency department for emergency needs, is not changing.
It is awareness of the potential for the care experience to be different, such as potentially needing transfer to an alternate site for a safe birth experience.
As the provider notice states, work is ongoing to find coverage. We are working to mitigate potential gaps in service, and have secured on-call coverage for several of these potential gaps.
Northern Health is working on solutions to ensure a long-term sustainable obstetrical and gynecological on call specialist coverage at UHNBC.
- Northern Health and the Ministry of Health have implemented income guarantee compensation models ($4,250/day) for Obstetrician/Gynecologist specialists at UHNBC, for which both local and locum providers are eligible.
- Northern Health is actively recruiting OB/GYN specialists to Prince George and is seeking locum coverage to support local providers.
Regardless of the specific dates during which services may be reduced, UHNBC Labour and Delivery remains OPEN at all times to assess, triage and care for patients. If a patient presents at the hospital during a service reduction, they will be assessed by the nurses, doctors and midwives in Labour and Delivery at UHNBC, who will work to establish the safest path and place for care.
The Canadian Medical Association defines the role of OB/GYNs as: Obstetrics/gynecology is a specialty that encompasses medical, surgical, and obstetrical and gynecologic knowledge and skills for the prevention, diagnosis and management of a broad range of conditions affecting women’s general and reproductive health. In actual fact, it is the combination of two specialties: obstetrics, which provides care during pregnancy, labour and puerperium (the time directly after childbirth); and gynecology, which focuses on the health of the female reproductive system, including the diagnosis and treatment of disorders and diseases.

MLA Prince George Mackenzie Kiel Giddens proposes that the healthcare system should adopt more effective strategies to address these challenges.

“ Ultimately, we need a human resources strategy that actually is going to make sense. And, quite frankly, we also need a locum strategy that is going to deal with these summer closures and summer challenges that are happening.”

Kiel Giddens

MLA Prince George Mackenzie

The Labour and Delivery Department at UHNBC remains open. Northern Health advises that if you are experiencing any symptoms of concern, pregnant individuals are encouraged to consult a healthcare team for an assessment and guidance on what is best for you and your baby.

Email: Dave.Branco@pattisonmedia.com

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by Dave Branco

Labour pains of a different kind: UHNBC obstetrical specialist shortage

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