Three Neurologists Quit Penticton Hospital Over On-Call Dispute

Three neurologists at Penticton Regional Hospital have resigned after Interior Health required expanded after-hours on-call coverage beyond the South Okanagan without additional pay. Their departures, scheduled for November and December, will leave the hospital without any stationed neurologists. Additional neurologists in Kamloops and Vernon are also quitting, compounding the regional shortage.

The open letter from South Okanagan physicians states they support regional collaboration but say Interior Health ignored consultation requests, failing to grasp local system realities. Past specialist exoduses include four psychiatrists leaving Vernon Hospital and seven obstetrician-gynecologists departing Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops in 2025, as well as a months-long pediatrics ward closure at Kelowna General Hospital after seven pediatricians resigned in 2023.

“Patients presenting to hospital who may require neurological care are first assessed by emergency physicians, who determine the care and specialist support required based on the patient's condition. Urgent neurology consultation continues to be available through established regional pathways.”

Interior Health declined to answer questions on continuity of care, citing election-period restrictions on government agencies. Dr. Kirstie McLelland, executive medical director for Interior Health South, said emergency physicians assess neurological needs first and urgent consultations remain available through established regional pathways.