The emergency department at Fort Nelson Hospital was shut down on Sunday due to “staffing challenges,” according to Northern Health.
The emergency room was unavailable to residents in the Fort Nelson area from 5 am to 7pm.
Health officials said that in situations like this, partners in patient transfer and local health services are notified. They added people needing life-threatening care were transported to the nearest available facility.
This comes after the Chetwynd Hospital ER was on diversion four times in less than three weeks in June.
On Monday, an ER closure in the Metro Vancouver area sparked criticism from local officials towards BC’s Health Care system.
They said these emergency room closures are exposing deep cracks in the system.
Residents who are in need of life-saving medical care are being asked to call 9-1-1 to be transported to the nearest available hospital.