Port Hardy Hospital’s emergency department closed temporarily, Island Health says

In B.C., Island Health officials have announced a temporary closure of the emergency department at the Port Hardy Hospital.

The closure started on Monday, Nov. 7 and will last until the morning of Friday, Nov. 11.

Island Health said the closure is due to “limited nursing availability.”

Anyone experiencing a medical emergency is asked to still call 9-1-1, but patients can also go to Port McNeill Hospital’s emergency department.

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“Island Health acknowledges this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by this temporary service interruption,” Island Heath said in a release.

Hundreds of B.C. nurses held a rally in Vancouver last Friday ahead of contract negotiations with the province.

“We are hearing some facilities are 50 to 70 per cent short-staffed,” BC Nurses’ Union’s president Aman Grewal said at the rally.

“(Nurses) are mandated to work overtime. Some of them are being mandated to work 24-hour shifts. No other profession mandates people to work 24-hour shifts.”

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