In an unprecedented escalation of tensions between provincial legislators and healthcare administrators, Kelowna-Mission MLA Renee Merrifield has publicly called for the immediate resignation of Interior Health’s CEO Susan Brown following the controversial closure of a critical care ward at Kelowna General Hospital.
The demand comes after months of mounting pressure on the health authority over what critics describe as a systemic failure to address staffing shortages and deteriorating patient care standards throughout the Interior region.
“This is no longer about political differences or budget constraints—this is about patient safety and accountability,” Merrifield stated during a press conference held Thursday morning. “The closure of the west wing at KGH represents a complete breakdown in leadership that Interior Health patients and healthcare workers can no longer afford.”
The ward closure, which eliminated 26 acute care beds from the region’s largest hospital, has created a cascading effect throughout Kelowna’s healthcare system. Emergency room wait times have reportedly increased by 37% since April, with hallway medicine becoming increasingly normalized despite provincial promises to eliminate the practice.
Interior Health has defended the closure as “temporary” and “necessary” due to critical staffing shortages, particularly among specialized nurses. In a statement released following Merrifield’s comments, the health authority maintained that “difficult decisions must sometimes be made to ensure patient safety with available resources.”
However, internal documents obtained by CO24 News reveal that hospital administrators had warned senior leadership about the impending staffing crisis more than eight months ago, with apparently limited response from the executive level.
Dr. Amanda Wilkinson, President of the Kelowna Medical Society, expressed concerns about the broader implications. “When we lose beds, we lose the capacity to provide timely care. Surgeries get postponed, emergency cases face delays, and ultimately, patient outcomes suffer,” she explained in an interview with CO24 Canada.
The situation in Kelowna mirrors challenges facing healthcare systems across Canada, where post-pandemic recovery has been hampered by healthcare worker burnout, wage disputes, and increasing patient volumes. What distinguishes the Kelowna case, according to healthcare policy analysts, is the apparent lack of contingency planning despite clear warning signs.
Minister of Health Adrian Dix has thus far declined to intervene directly, stating that “operational decisions remain the purview of health authorities,” though he acknowledged the situation requires “immediate attention and resolution.”
For residents of the Okanagan, the political showdown represents more than administrative infighting. Marlene Kofoed, whose husband’s cardiac surgery was postponed three times due to bed shortages, expressed frustration shared by many: “When leaders point fingers instead of fixing problems, it’s the patients who suffer. Someone needs to take responsibility.”
The Interior Health board of directors is scheduled to meet in emergency session this weekend, though it remains unclear whether Brown’s leadership will be formally reviewed. Board Chair Doug Cochrane has not commented publicly on Merrifield’s call for resignation.
As pressure mounts from both political and public quarters, the central question emerges: can Interior Health rebuild public trust without significant leadership changes, or has the relationship between administration and the communities they serve deteriorated beyond repair?
