June 11, 2022 – Other families' stories show British Columbia health authorities ignoring the rights of patients and families, suppressing information and favouring staff privacy over the wellbeing of vulnerable people. The victims in these cases include children, middle-aged adults and elders mistreated in four B.C. health authorities: Vancouver Coastal Health, Interior Health, Fraser Health, and Island Health.

But first, an update about the Wicks’ latest experiences.

Almost six months into Eileen Wicks’ involuntary confinement at Nanaimo hospital, her husband Trevor Wicks asked his lawyer to request permission for Trevor to take Eileen to the hospital café on the main floor to celebrate his birthday and, a few days later, their 55th wedding anniversary, at a location outside of the hospital, in the company of a hospital staff member.

Instead, when he entered Eileen’s hospital room on his birthday, Wicks was dismayed to see Lorraine Kirk, Acting Director of Community Health Services, Nanaimo/Oceanside beside a “happy birthday” sign on the wall, and offering a chocolate cake. Wicks says Kirk told him “there is no one on staff” who could accompany him and Eileen to the main floor hospital café for a birthday coffee and treat.

As for their 55th anniversary celebration, Trevor Wicks said Ms. Kirk told him they would have to remain in the hospital, but staff would “order in from anywhere you like and you can use the cafeteria for the anniversary celebration.” Wicks said, “I told her we don’t go out to fancy restaurants, and we don’t want to celebrate our anniversary in the hospital.”

Readers may recall that Lorraine Kirk is the person who sharply told Trevor Wicks in a meeting at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on February 24, 2022, “Eileen isn’t going home,” after which Ms. Kirk read aloud Island Health’s plan which they call a “Support and Assistance Plan.” Their proposed care plan is the basis for which Island Health is seeking a Provincial Court order to force Eileen into long-term care and ignore Trevor Wicks’ authority as her Personal Representative.

Island Health — which is still refusing to provide Eileen’s medical records — is pushing to impose a sweeping ban on publication and sealing of all related legal documents, including all Court orders. Apparently, a publication ban was ordered by a Provincial Court judge on May 18, 2022, but no one is allowed to see or have a copy of the actual filed Order... Read more at https://secondopinionqb.ca/let-them-eat-cake-island-health-offers-take-out-delivery-party-attempts-to-suppress-eileen-wicks-story/

Photo:  Eileen and Trevor Wicks on their wedding day, June 3, 1967.