Retiring B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake agreed to sit down for one last chat as his cabinet position of four years comes to an end.

Despite all efforts to provide support and assistance to intravenous drug users, people are dying of overdoses at twice the tragic rate of last year in Vancouver.

A new tower at Richmond Hospital will soon go to a business plan, after the Ministry of Health reviews and accepts the draft concept plan tabled by VCH.

Canada’s in a massive shift on the question of death after medically assisted dying was deemed legal. VCH prepared for the assisted dying program a full six months early. With quotes from Darren Kopetsky, regional director of risk management at VCH.

VCH recently celebrated the long-term service of volunteers and staff, including 11 members of the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary.

The writer says the Trellis application for the Silverstone Care Centre is still far from being a “done deal” capable of beginning construction.

Writer states that funding for mental health services comes from VCH but as needs increase, budgets decline and the system is unable to deal with the load.

Writer points out Richmond Tower’s inadequacies, outdated standards and risks.

Firefighters in Vancouver responded to 565 overdoses in March, an 18 per cent increase over February.

In a tweet, VCH says there were 232 overdose-related visits to hospital Emergency Rooms last week. The week before, there were 191.