After a series of alleged incidents at Port Moody's Eagle Ridge Hospital involving everything from a loose pit bull biting a doctor to a machete-wielding patient threatening medical staff, Dr. Kaitlin Stockton had had enough.
According to a lawsuit filed on June 6 in B.C. Supreme Court, Stockton and her colleagues began advocating at every internal level to offload patients to other hospitals or otherwise deal with an overcrowded and unsafe emergency room.
On Nov. 18, 2024, Stockton's claim says that after consulting colleagues and a supervisor, she put up a sign in the waiting room warning of resource shortages and long waits.
It was this last action, and the negative media attention it received, that Stockton claims led to bullying and harassment from the hospital's medical director and Fraser Health officials. After seven and a half years in her job, she resigned.
Stockton is now suing the health authority for "constructive dismissal."
Stockton's notice of civil claim stated that she had discussions with supervisors regarding the sign and its subsequent media coverage, claiming that she was being blamed for the negative media coverage despite having had a supervisor's permission to put up the sign.
She also argues that deteriorating conditions and overcrowding issues were not being taken seriously by supervisors, with wait times of 12 to 14 hours becoming commonplace. According to Stockton, doctors asked several times over the past six months for a "code orange," which diverts ambulances away because the ER is overwhelmed. Each time, they were denied, the claim says.
The Fraser Health Authority has yet to file a response to the claim, and a spokesperson told Black Press Media it does not comment on matters before the courts. A response to the claim must be filed within 35 days of the initial filing.
Health Minister Josie Osborne would not comment on the case directly either, but did speak generally in support of employees raising concerns to supervisors and being heard.
"It is essential that healthcare workers across the province feel they can raise workplace concerns to their employer," Osborne said in an emailed statement to Black Press Media. "Hearing directly from frontline workers is fundamental as we work together to strengthen public health care in B.C."
Stockton's lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, was in court and unavailable for comment by publication deadline.
Her claim argues she was forced to resign after suffering detrimental effects financially, professionally, mentally and physically, while no corrective action was taken to address the harassment. This led to her being "constructively dismissed" because the hospital allegedly failed to comply with its legal obligation to provide a workplace free from harassment and bullying.
Stockton seeks damages of $350,000, equal to a year of her wages at the hospital, as well as bad faith, aggravated and punitive damages of $250,000 and other amounts to be determined by the court.
