The Saanich Peninsula Hospital’s emergency department is set to continue its overnight closures, extending beyond the initially planned date of September 4th.
The decision comes as the hospital grapples with ongoing challenges in doctor recruitment.
Island Health, the regional health authority responsible for healthcare delivery in the area, made this announcement on Tuesday, leaving the community without overnight emergency care for an indefinite period.
The emergency department will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with patients redirected to the Royal Jubilee or Victoria General hospitals.
For those in the region facing a medical emergency during the overnight hours, Island Health advises either calling 911 or seeking care at the Royal Jubilee or Victoria General hospitals if possible.
BC Emergency Health Services will ensure that individuals are taken to an open emergency department.
Island Health reiterated that while the emergency department experiences these closures, all other inpatient services at Saanich Peninsula Hospital will continue uninterrupted.
Prior to the overnight closures, the Saanich Peninsula Hospital emergency department typically served an average of 13 patients between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Since the closures began, the Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals have reported seeing an average of fewer than three patients from the Saanich Peninsula during these hours.
The overnight closures began in early July and were scheduled to end on September 5th.
“Island Health acknowledges this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by this temporary service interruption while we continue recruitment efforts and explore care models to strengthen, extend and support our care providers,” said Island Health.
All other inpatient services at the Saanichton hospital will continue as usual.
