A Vancouver Island hospital’s emergency room is faced with a multi-day closure and a doctor shortage is to blame, according to Island Health.
On Thursday, North Island residents were advised that the emergency department within Port McNeill Hospital (PMH) would temporarily close, starting at 7 a.m. Friday until noon on Monday, March 7th.
“During this timeframe, no new patients will be admitted to PMH,” reads the statement, urging locals with a medical emergency to call 911 or head to Port Hardy Hospital, if possible, which is a half-hour drive away.
Island Health says the doctor initially scheduled to work at PMH is no longer available, and despite efforts to find alternate coverage, “physician coverage has not been secured.”
“Island Health is apologizing for any inconvenience and says it will continue to seek physician coverage, notifying the community of any changes,” said the statement.
In Greater Victoria, those in need of emergency care faced a similar dilemma last summer, when Saanich Peninsula Hospital had to close its emergency department overnight.
On August 21st, 2021, reports on social media said that the department was overwhelmed with not enough staff to handle the patient influx. Island Health later confirmed the closure, which lasted for less than a day.
Throughout the Capital Region, a doctor shortage has also prompted multiple walk-in clinics to announce permanent closures, including View Royal’s Eagle Creek Medical Clinic and the Colwood Medical Treatment Centre.
SEE ALSO: Physician shortage prompts Colwood walk-in clinic closure
