More closures of Kaslo ER announced by Interior Health
By Nelson Daily Staff
Interior Health has announced the latest round of closures of the Victorian Community Health Centre Emergency Department due to limited physician/staffing availability.
The closure begins Saturday (July 27) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Other non operating times include:
* 5 p.m. Monday, July 29 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 30
* 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 30 to 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 31
* 5 p.m. Thursday, August 1 to 8 a.m. Friday, August 2
Interior Health said times outside these hours the emergency department will be open.
Kaslo and area residents, in case of an emergency, call 9-1-1, visit the emergency department at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson or call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 (24 hour service), if anyone is unsure about the need to attend the emergency department.
For non-urgent needs residents can visit a walk-in clinic located in Nelson.
The announcement comes on the heels of concerns raised in the Legislature Wednesday by Nelson/Creston MLA Michelle Mungall.
Mungall rose in the Legislature yesterday to pressure Minister of Health, Terry Lake to take action and address the struggles Kootenay communities face when recruiting physicians.
“The Minister needs to be aware of the healthcare challenges that our communities in the Kootenays are facing, “ saidMungall.
“I met with the IHA, and spoke directly with CEO Robert Halpeny, but ultimately, the Minister needs to take action to address the issue of physician shortages.”
Mungall cited the sporadic ER closures in Kaslo, doctor shortages in Nelson and orphaned patients in Creston while questioning the Minister about improving physician recruitment efforts.
She also pointed out that the government in their pre-election throne speech committed to improvements for rural patients, but on paper the recent Ministry of Health service plan only mentions “rural areas” once when it refers to investment in information technology services.
“Physician recruitment problems are causing larger healthcare issues in the Kootenays,” said Mungall. “This government needs to do more to ensure that our rural communities have the doctors we need.”
Interior Health said it continues to actively recruit for permanent and locum physicians and regrets this temporary change to normal services and will provide regular updates on any additional changes to normal services.
