Lillooet hospital emergency room to see 49-hour closure this week

ER to close for 49 hours

Photo: Contributed

Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre.

The emergency department at the Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre will be temporarily closed for a 49-hour stretch.

In a news release, Interior Health said emergency services at the hospital will be unavailable from 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19, until 8 a.m. on Friday, March 21.

“Patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time,” IH said. “Other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet Hospital.”

For life-threatening emergencies, people should call 911 to be taken to the nearest available facility. Those unsure if an emergency room visit is warranted can contact HealthLink BC 24/7 by calling 811.

The Lillooet emergency department has seen a number of temporary closures in recent weeks, most recently for a 24-hour stretch from Sunday, March 16, until Monday, March 17.

IH recently stopped providing information about the reasons for temporary emergency room closures, but they are typically due to staffing shortages.