Emergency services at the Dawson Creek and District hospital are suspended until 3 p.m. today due to staffing challenges, according to Northern Health.
The hospital’s emergency department will be closed from 5 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6 – this closure is the first one in the Peace this month. “Staffing challenges” have halted the hospital’s urgent services several times this fall, including a ten-hour closure in early October.
“People in (the) Dawson Creek who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e. chest pains, difficulty breathing, or severe bleeding) should call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” Northern Health said. Nearby emergency rooms and other medical services are alerted whenever an emergency room is put on diversion, according to the health authority.
All open emergency rooms are over an hour outside of the city. The Fort St John Hospital is the closest and 76 kilometres away. Anyone who is making the journey should be advised that the Alaska Highway may have slippery sections due to the recent snowfall.
To determine if a situation is urgent enough to call emergency services, people can contact Health Link B.C. at 8-1-1 and speak with a representative, who may be qualified to help tackle the issue.
