The Mayor of Hudson’s Hope is speaking out about a 10-day emergency room diversion at the Hudson’s Hope Health Centre.
Most interruptions that have affected Peace Region hospitals last one to two days, but emergency services in Hudson’s Hope will be unavailable for 10 days.
The diversion started on February 17th and is expected to last until March 2nd.
CJDC TV News reached out to Northern Health on Tuesday. By late Wednesday afternoon, the health authority was unable to provide any information on the closure.
It is believed that the chronic staffing shortage that has plagued Northern Health for the last five years, is once again to blame for the extended diversion.
“It is always deeply concerning. It takes what should be a few minutes for paramedics to respond, now to just over an hour to get to Chetwynd or Fort St. John,” said Mayor Travous Quibell.
During diversion, Northern Health reminds residents that if they are in need of emergency care, to call 911 and you will be transported to the nearest available hospital.
However, Quibell says, “that takes ambulance response time past the golden hour for patients to get to hospital.”
Non-emergency services are still available at the clinic, which is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.