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Emergency rooms around B.C. continue to be impacted by staffing shortages, with some facing ongoing closures, especially in rural communities.
First responders say they are struggling to bridge the gap between the closures and patient needs.
“It’s not a coincidence when you look at the closures and ambulances in the background, this has become a part of our work the last few years,” Ian Tait with the BC Paramedics Association said.
“Our paramedics are all over the province being sent everywhere they can to keep these closures from impacting the community very negatively. It’s definitely having a strain.”
In the South Cariboo, the emergency room at 100 Mile District General Hospital shut down at 7 a.m. on Friday, but Interior Health said it has now secured a physician for the department and will reopen at 8 p.m. on Friday.
However, this comes after a series of closures over the holidays, including on Dec. 22, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day morning and Dec. 27, with some closures lasting 25 hours.
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Patients are being told to go to the Williams Lake emergency room during the closure.
“We’re looking at other strategies to mitigate risks and working with partners in central interior on recruiting new staff and physicians so people in 100 Mile can have access to health services,” Richard Harding with Interior Health said.
In the Burns Lake area, residents are being advised of an emergency room closure at Lakes District Hospital, which was closed at 7 a.m. on Friday and will remain closed until 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Those in need are urged to call 911 to be taken to the nearest available facility.
This comes as the union representing thousands of paramedics, dispatchers and call takers in British Columbia is warning about potential job action after it says contract negotiations broke down before Christmas.
“Well, it is really hard. We do not want to use patients’ lives as leverage and staffing ambulances; that is not what we want,” Tait said.
“It is important for us to staff ambulances and be there when people call 911…. The timing of these ER closures, quite frankly, put a lot of pressure on the government and they should take the negotiations seriously.”
Service reduction also continues at the Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital’s Emergency Department, which has only been open between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. since Christmas Eve, which will continue until Jan. 4.
Fraser Health says the ER at Mission Memorial Hospital will continue to only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. until Jan. 6.
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