Northern Health closure hours totalled 67 hours in June

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Northern Health has clocked 67 hours of emergency department closures in June. 

The June closures totalled 67 hours, spread across five closures. 

The Tumbler Ridge Health Centre’s emergency department was closed for three hours on June 22 due to “unexpected staffing challenges.” 

In Hudson’s Hope, ER closures totalled 64 hours in June. The first closure occurred between June 2 and June 3 due to a failure of radiology equipment. 

The second closure was a week-long closure from June 8 to June 15, which the health authority said was due to “physician staffing issues.” 

The third ER was on June 19 and service resumed on June 22. The fourth closure started on June 29 and ended on July 6. 

In June, no closures were reported at the Fort Nelson General Hospital, the Dawson Creek and District Hospital, the Fort St. John Hospital and Peace Villa, or the Chetwynd Hospital and Health Centre. 

Northern Health said in a previous statement to Energeticcity.ca on May 19 that it has recruited an international medical graduate candidate for the Hudson’s Hope Health Centre. 

The candidate, who is currently in the recruitment process, is expected to arrive over the summer months after completing the process. 

In June, the closures recorded were 10.5 hours fewer than in May, which totalled 77.5 hours. 

Energeticcity.ca has been tracking emergency department interruptions at the Hudson’s Hope Health Centre since February, when Northern Health first released its Emergency Department Status website.