The Queen Charlotte hospital has lost five beds, down today to 16 from 21 a couple of weeks ago, although specific information about when it happened and why is difficult to get.
No word has ever come officially from the Northern Health Authority which manages the hospital, but came out of a conversation NHA Health Services Administrator Jennifer Kennedy had with the Islands Health Watch committee late last month.
"We were told that the hospital had 16 beds but we are not quite sure what happened to our original 21" committee chair Carol Kulesha said, "All we know is that is the figure that was given to us by Jennifer Kennedy. We don't have any paperwork that says we went for 21 to 16."
"It is a huge concern", committee member Patsy O'Brien said, "Â…with the bed reduction, are there staff changes planned?" She added that if staff is reduced, then the hospital may not have the resources to handle some emergencies, for example treatng victims of a serious road accident.
Ms Kulesha is now trying to get more information from the NHA about the downsizing. She hopes to hear more by the end of this week.