Hudson’s Hope ER one-day closure extends to week-long

HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — An emergency room closure at the Hudson’s Hope Health Centre has been extended for the third time this week.

According to Northern Health’s Emergency Department Status page, the emergency department services will now resume only on Monday, April 20th at 8:30 a.m. This means that emergency services in Hudson’s Hope will be closed for more than 20 hours. 

The diversion originally began on April 10th, with the ER expected to reopen on April 13th. However, the closure has been extended three times as of April 15th. 

“Many small health centres with limited base staffing, as well as limited backup/casual or locum staffing availability, are susceptible to service interruptions due to expected or unanticipated staff absences,” Northern Health said, in a written statement to Energeticcity.ca. 

In Hudson’s Hope, this includes interruptions when physician coverage or staffing for services essential to providing emergency care, such as nursing or diagnostics, are not available, the statement reads. 

“[The] Hudson’s Hope Health Centre is currently served by one physician working part-time (0.65 full-time equivalent position), and Northern Health is continuing to actively recruit for a second family physician for the community who would bring the full-time equivalent physician coverage to 1.3,” it highlighted. 

In a previous statement to Energeticcity.ca, the health authority said the centre was experiencing interruptions to its daytime and weekday emergency department services in April due to a “staffing shortage.” 

The centre is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, during normal working hours. 

Northern Health urged people in Hudson’s Hope who need emergency care outside normal working hours and on weekends to call 911 to connect with BC Emergency Health Services for transport to the nearest available hospital. 

So far this month, the department has announced five closures on April 1st, April 2nd, April 10th, April 13th and April 14th. 

The health authority reiterated that: “While emergency department services may be interrupted on a given day, other services such as diagnostics, community, primary care and some non-emergency urgent care/same day access can and do still occur, depending on the level of physician or nurse staffing needed.”