South Okanagan hospital emergency room closing overnight due to staffing

Photo: Interior Health

Temporary service interruptions are once again closing down the South Okanagan General Hospital emergency department overnight.

Due to limited physician availability, emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 23 to 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 24.

Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital.

During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.

This news follows weeks of intermittent closures at the ER in Oliver, all due to limited physician availability.

Interior Health advises the following:

• People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.
• Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.