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.
The health authority issued a similar statement on Sunday, noting that the closure was from Sunday night until Monday morning.
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.
“It’s frustrating to continue to hear about these closures and get these closures,” Oliver’s mayor, Martin Johansen, told Global News in December.
“I think we’ve had almost five in the last week (when Oliver made the comment), and the weekend was significant with a 24-hour closure and a 12-hour closure, as well.”
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.
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