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Cariboo Memorial Hospital ER closed overnight due to nursing shortage

Residents are advised to travel to Quesnel or 100 Mile House for services
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Cariboo Memorial Hospital Emergency Entrance in Williams Lake. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

The emergency room at Cariboo Memorial Hospital is facing another closure overnight due to staffing.

Interior Health posted a notice that emergency services will be unavailable in Williams Lake effective 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5 until 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Patients are advised to access care at 100 Mile District General Hospital in 100 Mile House or GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel during this time.

The closure is due to a nursing shortage, said IH.

All other inpatient services will continue 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.

Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

The emergency department in Cariboo Memorial Hospital is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It has been closed multiple times in 2024.