Emergency department services at Hudson’s Hope Health Centre will remain unavailable for the rest of July as Northern Health continues to deal with staffing shortages.
According to Northern Health’s emergency department status page, the department, which closed on Monday, is expected to reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, following the B.C. Day long weekend.
In a written statement, Northern Health said the ongoing interruption is the result of staffing challenges that have affected emergency services at the health centre.
“The current service interruption in Hudson’s Hope is the result of staffing challenges as outlined previously,” the health authority said.
Northern Health said it expects regular weekday emergency department services to resume after the August holiday.
Hudson’s Hope Health Centre normally provides emergency care from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and statutory holidays.
The latest closure follows another temporary disruption earlier this month, when emergency services were unavailable for about three hours on July 6.
Staffing pressures have also affected emergency care elsewhere in northeastern B.C. Northern Health announced that the emergency department at Fort Nelson General Hospital was closed for 14 hours on Sunday, July 12, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., because of limited staffing.
Residents who require emergency medical care while the Hudson’s Hope department is closed are advised to call 911. BC Emergency Health Services will transport patients to the nearest available hospital if needed.
