Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Lack of staff forces Saanich hospital to close ER overnight for two months

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 07 Jul, 2023 09:46 AM
  • Lack of staff forces Saanich hospital to close ER overnight for two months

Island Health says a lack of staff has forced it to begin overnight closures of the emergency room at a small Victoria-area hospital.

A statement from the health authority says closure of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital emergency department begins at 10 p.m. tonight and will end at 7 a.m. Saturday.

The statement says the closures will continue every night until Sept. 4 at the 85-bed hospital just south of Sidney.

The health authority says the closures will ensure doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and medical imaging staff are available during the day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. when demand for emergency services peaks.

Estimates from Island Health show an average of 11 people visit the Saanich Peninsula emergency room overnight and two people arrive by ambulance.

During the overnight closures, ambulances will be diverted to Royal Jubilee Hospital or Victoria General Hospital, both about 20 kilometres south, in Victoria.

Marko Peljhan, Island Health vice-president of clinical services for central and southern Vancouver Island says no other in-patient services at the hospital will be affected.

“We acknowledge this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for this temporary service reduction,” Peljhan says in the statement.

Staffing shortages are linked to recent temporary closures of many smaller or rural emergency rooms or health clinics, from Port Hardy and Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island to Clearwater in the southern Interior, Chetwynd and Mackenzie in the north and New Denver and Creston in the southeast.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada removes limit on study programmes' length for work permit holders

Canada removes limit on study programmes' length for work permit holders
The Canadian government on Tuesday introduced a public policy that will be beneficial for immigrants, including those from India, to boost their career, job prospects, and chances of permanent residency.

Canada removes limit on study programmes' length for work permit holders

Trudeau announces child-care infrastructure funding to build more spaces

Trudeau announces child-care infrastructure funding to build more spaces
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced $625 million of funding to help provinces and territories build child-care infrastructure.  Trudeau says the money will be rolled out over four years and will help providers renovate, retrofit and build new not-for-profit and public child-care facilities.   

Trudeau announces child-care infrastructure funding to build more spaces

Think you could pass the citizenship test? Poll shows most Canadians would flunk

Think you could pass the citizenship test? Poll shows most Canadians would flunk
In a survey of 1,512 Canadian adults, Leger found that only 23 per cent would pass the citizenship test, based on their answers to 10 randomly selected questions. People who wish to become Canadian need to answer 20 questions about citizens' rights and responsibilities, as well as Canada's history, geography, economy, government, laws and symbols.

Think you could pass the citizenship test? Poll shows most Canadians would flunk

Canadian wildfires send smoke south, triggering air quality warnings

Canadian wildfires send smoke south, triggering air quality warnings
Canadian wildfires are continuing to send heavy clouds of smoke south, from Northern Ontario and Quebec, through both provinces and into the United States. Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements for large areas of Ontario and Quebec warning of high levels of air pollution due to the smoke.

Canadian wildfires send smoke south, triggering air quality warnings

Canada welcomes largest number of immigrants in first quarter since at least 1972

Canada welcomes largest number of immigrants in first quarter since at least 1972
Statistics Canada says the country welcomed more than 145,000 immigrants during the first three months of the year. That's the highest number for a single quarter on record, since comparable data became available in 1972.

Canada welcomes largest number of immigrants in first quarter since at least 1972

B.C. port union issues 72-hour strike notice affecting 7,400 workers

B.C. port union issues 72-hour strike notice affecting 7,400 workers
The union representing port workers in British Columbia says it has issued 72-hour strike notice and its members are ready to walk off the job on Saturday. The strike notice affects about 7,400 terminal cargo loaders and 49 of the province's waterfront employers in more than 30 B.C. ports.

B.C. port union issues 72-hour strike notice affecting 7,400 workers