Emergency departments forced to shut down at another 2 BC Interior hospitals

Another week, another set of emergency department closures in the BC Interior.

This time it’s hospitals in Merritt and 100 Mile House that are affected.

Merritt’s Nicola Valley Hospital has been unable to provide emergency care since 6 pm on Sunday, but is set to reopen at 7 am today.

It’s been a disastrous period for the hospital in Merritt, with several closures announced in a short period of time.

The city’s mayor, Michael Goetz, told NowMedia last week that the facility could be in for “years” of “big challenges.”

The 100 Mile District General Hospital, meanwhile, is due to shut its emergency department at 7 am today.

It won’t reopen until 8 pm on Monday, according to a bulletin posted by Interior Health.

The health authority did not provide any reasons for the shutdowns, but in the past they have been due to a lack of medical staff.

Anyone that usually uses the hospital in 100 Mile house has been told to head to Williams Lake for emergency care.

People in Merritt were told to go to Kamloops.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” Interior Health’s bulletin reads.

“Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811 or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.”