The emergency department at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital will be closed overnight from 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 25 to 7 a.m. on Friday, July 26.
Interior Health issued the notice at 4 p.m. Thursday, advising patients to access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or 100 Mile House District General Hospital.
All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital.
People in the community who need life-saving emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 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.
The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.
This latest closure is due to limited nursing availability, said IH.
