Merritt-area residents will have to get emergency care in Kamloops Tuesday due to “limited physician availability.”
The emergency department in Merritt is normally open 24/7 but starting at 11:30 a.m. and continuing on to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 20, emergency services at Nicola Valley Hospital will be unavailable and patients will have to access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
“During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at Nicola Valley Hospital,” according to a statement from Interior Health.
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“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.”
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Since the beginning of 2022, B.C. has seen consistent closures of rural hospital emergency departments as a result of staffing shortages or the inability to cover someone’s shift due to illness.
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