Oliver hospital to undergo 2nd temporary emergency department closure of week

For the 14th time this year, the emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital will be temporarily closed.

Just hours before the closure was to occur, Interior Health announced that emergency services at the only hospital in Oliver won’t be available from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning.

The 12-hour closure, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., is due to limited physician availability.

2:24 Solutions approved for ongoing ER closures

Interior Health says those seeking emergency care during that time span will have to travel 40 minutes north to Penticton Regional Hospital, though those who need life-threatening emergency care should always call 911.

The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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It also said all other inpatient services at SOGH will continue as normal.

The emergency department was also temporarily closed overnight from June 9-10.

There were also three closures in January, two in February, four in March, one in April and two in May.