Additional ER closures at Clearwater hospital this weekend

The emergency department at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater will face additional closures this weekend.

On the morning of Saturday, July 4 Interior Health (IH) issued a public service announcement stating that emergency services will be unavailable as follows:

Saturday, July 4: Closed from 6 p.m. on July 4 to 7 a.m. on Sunday, July 5

Monday, July 6: Closed from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Patients will be able to access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or at 100 Mile District General Hospital in 100 Mile House during the closure time.

All other inpatient services will continue at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital, IH says.

People in the community who need emergency care for life-threatening situations (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.

This latest closure follows two others earlier in the week, that saw the ED closed overnight on Wednesday, July 1 and from 6 p.m. on Friday, July 3 to 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 4.

IH says anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.