P.E.I. hospital warns of reduced epidural access among labour shortages

A hospital in Prince Edward Island is warning patients that some epidural services may be unavailable until the end of next week.

The province says in a news release that Prince County Hospital in Summerside, P.E.I., has only one anesthetist, who may not be available between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. until Sept. 2.

All four of the hospital’s anesthetist positions are vacant, leaving it dependent on doctors from nearby facilities.

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Dr. Hani Farag, head of obstetrics at Prince County Hospital, says the facility offers a variety of pain-management options other than epidurals.

The statement says the reduction is not related to the ongoing countrywide epidural supply issue.

A shortage of epidural tubes used to provide the pain medication is affecting several regions of Canada, especially British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.