People in need of emergency medical care in the South Okanagan will need to travel to Penticton, B.C., on Monday and overnight into Tuesday.
Interior Health says the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver’s emergency department will be closed from 1 p.m. on Monday through to 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
Officials announced the diversion at 11 a.m. on Monday, just two hours before the closure. A reason for the ER closure was not provided, however the wave of ER closures at various B.C. hospitals in recent years has typically been a result of staff shortages.
- Health care a major election issue as B.C. doctor says he’s hit breaking point
- Concerns mount over future of neurology care at Penticton hospital
- Can a photo help predict if you’ll survive cancer? Researchers think so
- Ontario drug funding decision leaves cancer patients disappointed, with few options
All other inpatient services at the South Okanagan General Hospital are unaffected.
Get weekly health news
People in need of emergency care are being directed to Penticton Regional Hospital, about a 40-minute drive away.
Anyone who needs life-threatening emergency care is advised to still call 911 as usual.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.