Port McNeill Hospital’s emergency department will be temporarily closed due to a physician shortage overnight Saturday.
The emergency room will be closed 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, according to Island Health. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at the hospital.
The health authority is asking anyone experiencing a medical emergency to call 911 or, if possible, go to the Port Hardy Hospital Emergency Department. Patients who call 911 will be transported to the appropriate site.
The Cormorant Island Community Health Centre’s emergency department is also closed this weekend, from 7 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday.
This is in addition to a previously announced overnight closure of the department, from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m., in effect daily until Dec. 15.
Island Health said limited staff availability is behind the closure.
Anyone experiencing a medical emergency during this time should call 911, as protocols are in place to ensure patients are transported to an appropriate alternate site.
First Nations communities and individuals can also access the First Nations Health Authority’s First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day services from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily. Call 1-855-344-3800 to book an appointment.
Meanwhile, the Ucluelet outpatient medical lab, which has been closed since early August due to staffing shortages, is set to reopen Dec. 6. The facility is located at 1566 Peninsula Rd. in Ucluelet.
The outpatient lab’s new hours of operation will be 9:45 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments can be booked online at waitwhile.com/book/uclueletlab/calendar. Anyone without access to the internet can call 1-866-370-8355.
