North·COVID IN N.W.T.

Health services in Yellowknife 'significantly' reduced today

A news release from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority says services including primary care, public health, and home care will be scaled down all day Tuesday as they grapple with the impact of staff who now have school-aged children at home.

The territory says it will be assessing staffing impacts of school closures

Yellowknife on Sept. 11. Some of the city's health services will be reduced Tuesday as the territory's health authority assesses the impact school closures will have on staffing. (Liny Lamberink/CBC)

Some of Yellowknife's health services will be significantly reduced for a day while the territory works to assess the impacts of school closures on staff who have school-aged children. 

A news release from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority says services including primary care, public health and home care services will be scaled down all day Tuesday.

The affected services are:

  • Frame Lake Community Health Clinic and Yellowknife Primary Care Centre: Most in-person appointments will be cancelled Tuesday. Some urgent in-person appointments will still proceed. Some virtual appointments will be cancelled pending practitioner availability and walk-in clinic availability will be limited at the Yellowknife Primary Care Centre downtown from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. for urgent issues.
  • Yellowknife Home Care: Many appointments Tuesday will be cancelled, unless urgent. Home care teams will work to develop a schedule to ensure essential services continue and appointments will be prioritized and rebooked. Home care clients will be communicated with directly to ensure they have details on appointment rescheduling.
  • Yellowknife Public Health: Most appointments for Tuesday will be cancelled, however a general clinic will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for urgent issues.

The health authority said further details about service levels will be announced once available.