FORT NELSON, B.C. - Residents in Fort Nelson are once again without emergency department services as Northern Health deals with ongoing staffing shortages across Northeast B.C.
The health authority says the emergency department at Fort Nelson General Hospital is closed from 6 a.m. Monday, September 28 until 8 a.m. Tuesday, September 29.
During that time, residents experiencing life-threatening emergencies are being told to call 9-1-1, while non-urgent patients are being directed to virtual care options, pharmacists and HealthLink BC.
The latest closure comes amid a series of recent service interruptions affecting hospitals and health centres throughout the region.
In Dawson Creek, Northern Health says emergency department services at Dawson Creek and District Hospital were interrupted until 7 p.m. on Saturday
The situation was potentially concerning for nearby Tumbler Ridge residents.
Northern Health reported that the emergency department at Tumbler Ridge Health Centre was unavailable from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
The closure overlapped with the disruption in Dawson Creek, the largest hospital and the closest major emergency department serving the Tumbler Ridge area.
Despite repeated assurances from Northern Health and the provincial government that recruitment and retention efforts are progressing, Northeast B.C. has experienced a slew of emergency room and health-care service interruptions in recent days, raising ongoing concerns about access to care in rural communities.
Meanwhile, Hudson’s Hope Health Centre remains temporarily closed, with Northern Health now listing a reopening date of October 1 at 8:30 a.m. after an expected reopening on Monday was extended.