Advertisement

South Okanagan General Hospital facing temporary emergency room closure

File. South Okanagan General Hospital. Global Okanagan

People living in the Oliver, B.C., area are being warned of another temporary emergency department closure, caused by “limited physician availability.”

Interior Health said for the second day in a row, emergency services at South Okanagan General Hospital will be unavailable from 6 p.m. on Monday, March 25, until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26.

Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.

Click to play video: 'Three Okanagan schools on chopping block'
Three Okanagan schools on chopping block

The health authority issued a similar statement on Sunday, noting that the closure was from Sunday night until Monday morning.

Story continues below advertisement

This is the sixth notice of this kind since the beginning of February, though there were many other incidents the year earlier, much to the chagrin of the community.

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“It’s frustrating to continue to hear about these closures and get these closures,” Oliver’s mayor, Martin Johansen, told Global News in December.

Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

Sponsored content

AdChoices