For the fourth night in a row, emergency services will be unavailable at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.
Interior Health (IH) said emergency services will be unavailable effective 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 7 until 7:30 a.m. on Monday, July 8, 2024 for Williams Lake and area residents.
The previous closures occurred overnight Thursday, July 4, Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 and have started at either 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 pm until 7:30 a.m.
Interior Health (IH) is blaming the string of closures on limited nursing availability.
During the closures, patients have been directed to access care at 100 Mile District General Hospital in 100 Mile House, GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel or even Bella Coola General Hospital in Bella Coola.
All other inpatient services have continued as normal at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.
People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.
The emergency department in Cariboo Memorial Hospital is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Cariboo Memorial Hospital hasn't been the only hospital affected by limited staffing over the weekend.
Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital due to limited physician availability.
Emergency services were unavailable from 6 a.m. on Sunday, July 7 to 8 a.m. on Monday, July 8, 2024 due to a shortage of doctors. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.
Merritt and area residents were also advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Nicola Valley Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services in that community will be unavailable for 48 hours from 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 7 to 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.
Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited nursing availability.
Emergency services were also unavailable from 9 p.m. on Friday, July 5, 2024, to 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, 2024 in Oliver, with patients being directed to Penticton.
