The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital will undergo another temporary closure.
The closure at the only hospital in Oliver will happen on Saturday, from 6 p.m. until Sunday morning at 8 a.m.
The emergency department is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Interior Health, which announced the news just after 1:30 p.m., said the temporary closure is due to unexpected limited physician availability.
- Death of pregnant woman and her baby prompts call for Saskatchewan rural health changes
- Police, fire or ambulance? Winnipeg launching 4th option for 911 mental health calls
- Over 10K of these fridges have been recalled in Canada for risk of fire
- AI smart glasses recalled in Canada, U.S. for burn risk: ‘Immediately stop’
“During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital,” said the health agency, adding that local residents in need of emergency care will have to travel to Penticton Regional Hospital.
“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.”
Get weekly health news
The hospital’s emergency department has undergone several temporary closures due to lack of staffing during the past year, including one on Sept. 1-2 and 4-5.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.