The Port Hardy Hospital’s emergency department will shutter on Saturday due to “limited care provider ability,” Island Health said Friday.
The department will close from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., reopening at 7 a.m. on Sunday.
Island Health is encouraging anyone experiencing a medical emergency to go to Port McNeill Hospital’s emergency department, about 42 km northwest, while the closure is in effect.
“Do not go to the ED during the hours it is closed, as this will delay your access to care,” the health authority said in a Friday statement.
“Island Health and BC Emergency Health Services have protocols in place to ensure people calling 911 are transported to the appropriate site.”
Island Health recognized the situation is not “ideal” and apologized for the inconvenience.
It’s the second emergency department closure at the Port Hardy Hospital this year. It also shuttered between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. from Jan. 6 to Jan. 23.
Such service temporary service disruptions are common throughout B.C., particularly in rural areas. In April, residents of Merritt, B.C. rallied to have their local emergency department open 24/7, with multiple closures in effect this year and the nearest emergency room 85 km away in Kamloops.
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