Staff shortage forces temporary closure of emergency department in B.C.'s Interior
CTV
An emergency department in B.C.'s Interior was temporarily closed for part of the weekend due to a staffing issue.
An emergency department in B.C.'s Interior was temporarily closed for part of the weekend due to a staffing issue.
Fraser Health said in a statement the Clearwater emergency department at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital had to close for more than 30 hours "due to an unforeseen limited staffing availability." The department was closed from 12 p.m. on Saturday until 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Anyone who required emergency assistance was advised to call 911 or visit Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, which is about a 90-minute drive from the Clearwater hospital.
It's not the only emergency department that changed its hours over the past few days. The Ashcroft Hospital and Community Health Care Centre was open for reduced hours over the weekend, though Interior Health didn't give a reason why in its announcement.
By Monday, both emergency departments were back to regular hours of operation.
Last month, another emergency department in Interior Health was forced to close temporarily – for an unknown length of time – due to a staffing shortage.
Elkford Health Centre's emergency department closed on Sept. 29 "until further notice."
