FORT ST. JOHN -- The Emergency Department at the Fort St. John Hospital has reopened following a weekend diversion that saw services unavailable due to shortage in nurses.
Northern Health advised residents of the closure in a social media post Saturday June 1st.
The emergency department was unavailable between 4:00 p.m. Saturday until 7:00 a.m. on Sunday June 2nd.
“People in Fort St. John and area who need life-threatening emergency care should call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” said Northern Health in a statement.
The shortage comes on the heels of 12 hospital diversions in Chetwynd over the last five months due to chronic staffing shortages.
This weekend’s diversion marks a monthly pattern of closures at the Fort St. John hospital due to staffing shortages that have also forced patient advisories on increased wait times.
The Birthing Centre, surgery suites, and ambulatory clinics remained open during the diversion.
MLA Dan Davies, who has been advocating for an independent audit of Northern Health, took to social media to condemn the closure and once again call on Health Minister Adrian Dix to take action.
“This had been happening too often,” said Davies in a social media post.
