Lack of staff temporarily closes Ashcroft's emergency department
Jenifer Norwell | CBC News | Posted: December 23, 2016 6:24 PM | Last Updated: December 23, 2016
The emergency department will be closed from midnight on Dec. 23, to 6 a.m on Dec. 24
A lack of staff over the holidays has forced the temporary closure of the emergency department at the Ashcroft Hospital and Health Centre.
A notice on the Interior Health Authority website says the emergency department will be closed from midnight on Dec. 23 until 6 a.m. on Christmas Eve.
Closure due to sick call
"Periodic short-term [emergency department] closures are not uncommon at rural sites," said the Interior Health Authority in an email to CBC.
The health authority says this closure is due to a staff sick call and no patients will be displaced by the closure.
IHA says outside of these six hours, service will remain as normal in Ashcroft.
Residents referred to surrounding communities
Residents who need to see a doctor during the temporary closure can access emergency departments or walk-in clinics in Kamloops or Merritt.
Emergency departments are also open to patients who are able to travel to Lillooet or 100 Mile House.
The emergency department services are only available in Ashcroft on weekends. Typically, the department is open starting at 6 p.m. on Fridays and operating until 8 a.m. on Mondays.