Residents of Clearwater and the surrounding area have been alerted to another overnight emergency room closure at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital.
Emergency services are unavailable from 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 to 8 p.m. to Sunday, April 27, 2025
Patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during the closure. All other inpatient services will continue at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital.
Mayor Merlin Blackwell issued a statement in regard to the latest ER closure, saying, “A 27-hour closure is a big deal. It will be time to have another serious conversation with IHA about what’s going on and if the District of Clearwater can help in any way.”
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 at anytime can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for free, non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
The emergency department in Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital is generally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
