'Limited staffing availability' closes North Island emergency department again
CTV
A hospital on northern Vancouver Island has been forced to temporarily close its emergency department this weekend due to a lack of available staff.
Port McNeill Hospital's emergency room will be closed from 3 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday, according to a statement from Island Health.
The health authority attributed the closure to "limited staffing availability," a problem that has prompted closures at the hospital before.
Other inpatient services will continue at Port McNeill Hospital during the emergency department closure. Those requiring emergency care will be directed to Port Hardy Hospital, according to Island Health.
"Island Health and BC Emergency Health Services have protocols in place to ensure patients are transported to the appropriate site," the health authority said in its statement.
"Island Health acknowledges this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by this temporary service reduction."
Port McNeill Hospital is far from the only facility in B.C. or on Vancouver Island experiencing a staffing crunch.
At least two other emergency departments – both of them in the Interior – faced temporary closures this weekend.
The emergency department at Ashcroft Hospital and Community Health Care Centre in Ashcroft, B.C., is typically only open on weekends from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
