Portable pediatric waiting room installed at Surrey Memorial Hospital

The debate over portables is back in the spotlight in Surrey, B.C., but this time it’s at a hospital, not a school.

Fraser Health confirmed Wednesday that it has deployed a portable to Surrey Memorial Hospital as a “temporary pediatric emergency waiting area” to “prepare for potential surges in pediatric volumes this winter.”

“This waiting area will provide a sense of comfort, care and reassurance to all children and their family members, during this stop on their care journey,” the health authority said in a statement.

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The move comes as respiratory illness season arrives in the province, and with it, the potential of a possible surge in patients at health-care facilities.

Fraser Health said the COVID-19 pandemic and previous surges, including for youth with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), have shown the need to prepare for the possibility of higher volumes.

“We’re taking these steps in advance, so that we’re ready, and I think that’s what people want to see — they want to see us preparing,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said.

“And if it’s the case that respiratory season is not as serious, although the southern hemisphere indicates we’re going to have a challenging year, then those preparations aren’t necessary.”

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BC United South Surrey MLA El Sturko said the temporary waiting room was yet another sign of systemic problems with health care in the province.

“It’s not just the temporary pediatrics unit, every single unit in our hospital is almost at the breaking point,” Sturko said.

“We’ve heard from doctors that people are being kept in hallways they’re not delivering the care they feel is appropriate for the patients coming in. We’ve had promises from Minister Dix but very little has changed on the ground in Surrey.”

Last winter, the province saw an alarming spike in respiratory infections, particularly among youth, including the death of six children related to influenza.