The emergency room at the Port McNeill Hospital will briefly close beginning Saturday afternoon due to ongoing staffing shortages.
Island Health has announced that the Port McNeill Hospital (PMH) emergency department will be temporarily closed from 3 p.m. on July 16 until 7 a.m. on July 17.
While the emergency department will be closed, all other inpatient services will continue as normal , according to Island Health.
“Island Health acknowledges this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by this temporary service reduction,” the health authority said in a media release issued Friday evening.
Those who do experience a medical emergency during the closure should contact 911 immediately or head to the Port Hardy Hospital.
“Island Health and BC Emergency Health Services have protocols in place to ensure patients are transported to the appropriate site,” the health authority said in its release.
This is the third time since March that the emergency department at the Port McNeill Hospital has been forced to close because of staffing challenges.
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