Doctor Sues Fraser Health, Claims Unsafe ER Conditions and Retaliation for Speaking Out

Emergency physician Dr. Kaitlin Stockton is suing the Fraser Health Authority, alleging that conditions in two Lower Mainland hospitals have become dangerously unsafe — and that her job was threatened after she publicly warned patients about excessive ER delays.

Stockton, who has worked at Royal Columbian and Eagle Ridge hospitals since 2017, filed a civil claim last week citing years of worsening staff shortages, patient overcrowding, and unaddressed safety risks. She says she felt compelled to act when repeated internal pleas went unanswered.

"Patients are falling through the cracks and will continue to unless something changes," she said in an interview. "This is not the standard of care I was trained to provide."

According to the claim, the breaking point came on Nov. 18, 2024, when Eagle Ridge Hospital became so overcrowded that patients spilled into hallways and staff requested urgent support, including redirecting ambulances and cancelling surgeries. Their requests were allegedly denied.

In response, Stockton and colleagues posted a sign warning patients of unacceptable wait times and urging them to contact the provincial government. The sign went viral online and caught media attention — prompting Fraser Health to label it “false.”

Stockton alleges the health authority then used surveillance footage to identify and target her, threatening disciplinary action unless she issued an apology. She claims she was ultimately forced out through constructive dismissal and is seeking $500,000 in damages.

A letter signed by 50 B.C. emergency physicians has since surfaced, supporting Stockton’s advocacy for improved care and calling for better transparency and accountability within the system. Fraser Health has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also references disturbing incidents: staff being physically assaulted by patients, a dog attack in the ER, and repeated calls for emergency disaster protocols — such as during the mass casualty event at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival — allegedly being ignored.

Despite staff pleading for a Code Orange protocol to be activated to manage incoming trauma cases, Stockton claims Fraser Health refused, exacerbating an already overwhelmed situation.

“This feels like a nightmare where you're screaming for help and no one hears you,” she said.

Emergency rooms at the two hospitals are now reportedly operating with up to six unfilled doctor shifts a day, and wait times frequently stretch up to 14 hours. Stockton’s lawsuit claims these conditions have already led to preventable deaths — and that management’s silence is compounding the harm.

“Our ER system is failing,” she said. “And frontline staff are not allowed to talk about it.”