Mission hospital emergency room limits service; other B.C. towns see ER closures over the weekend

Several emergency rooms across the provinces are struggling with staffing issues this weekend.

Mission Memorial Hospital says its ER will be open, but it will be implementing a “temporary service adaptation notice” between Friday at 10 p.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m.

“During this time, emergency-trained nurses will continue to be on site and available to support walk-in patients needing basic first aid, assist with re-direction of care, and/or transfer patients with urgent needs to a neighbouring hospital,” the hospital said in a notice.

“Those requiring urgent care after 10:00 p.m. are advised to seek treatment at another emergency department, including Ridge Meadows Hospital.”

This is the fourth time in as many weeks that the hospital has needed to implement this adaptation.

Meanwhile, two rural B.C. municipalities are again struggling to staff their emergency room departments for the third time in a week.

The ER at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver has been closed since 1 p.m. Friday and will be until noon Saturday. 

The Mackenzie and District Hospital Emergency Department, in Mackenzie, B.C., will also close Friday around 6 p.m. It’s set to reopen at 7 a.m. Saturday.

The hospitals’ respective health authorities say the closures are due to staffing issues.

Both South Okanagan General and Mackenzie have had three ER closures in a span of seven days.

Interior Health and Northern Health say people needing urgent medical attention should call 911.

The closest open ER is 40 kilometres from Oliver, in Penticton. The closest open ER is 177 kilometres from Mackenzie, in Chetwynd.

With files from Emma Crawford.