Another emergency department has been temporarily closed in the interior of southern BC.
Merritt residents will run out of emergency services Monday, and Nicola Valley Hospital will close this part of the facility from 8 a.m. July 4 to 8 p.m. July 5, due of an unforeseen limited availability of physicians.
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Interior Health advises area residents to call 911 or use the emergency department at Kamloops Royal Inland Hospital or Kelowna General Hospital if they need help in the event of an emergency.
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Read more: Staff shortages temporarily closed Merritt Hospital’s emergency department
Others are advised to call HealthLink BC at 811 if they are unsure of the need to seek emergency care.
Emergency closures have become increasingly common in recent months.
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In an interview last month, Interior Health indicated that both staffing and capacity challenges are issues facing health care in the health authority, BC and Canada.
There are numerous job postings on the Interior Health website and hiring is an ongoing project.
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