Emergency room physician Kaitlin Stockton says she has reached a settlement with the Fraser Health Authority to resolve a lawsuit that alleged wrongful dismissal after she tried to warn patients about conditions in two hospitals where she worked.

“My advocacy journey has really just begun,” Stockton said. “I want every doctor to feel secure and empowered to speak up about systemic issues that are affecting patient care without fear of censorship and retaliation.

“I'm hopeful that change will come.”

Stockton is not sharing publicly the details of the settlement, which she announced on social media on Tuesday.

She said she was “happy that it’s over.”

In June she filed a notice of civil claim against Fraser Health in B.C. Supreme Court, seeking $500,000 for wrongful dismissal and damages for what she claimed was "high-handed, arrogant and contemptuous" behaviour.

The lawsuit described toxic work environments where burnt-out medical professionals endure violent assaults from patients and fear reprisal for speaking publicly.

According to Stockton's lawsuit, her experience culminated in one shift, on Nov. 18, 2024, when she and other medical staff chose to warn patients that the emergency room at Eagle Ridge Hospital was reaching a breaking point.

The lawsuit alleged Stockton was fired through "constructive dismissal" — when the actions of an employer force an employee to resign.

Since then, Stockton has been employed by Vancouver Coastal Health. She says she has received...

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