Emergency service in Ashcroft only available on weekends

ASHCROFT – The emergency room in the Village of Ashcroft will only be open on weekends as the Interior Health Authority continues its employment search for doctors.

The services sustained a series of cuts after the village’s second doctor quit, leaving it to reduced emergency hours throughout the week. Now the service is only available from 6 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Monday.

“We know that’s not ideal but we are confident we can continue for the weekends,” Berni Easson, the authority’s administrator for rural locations, says.

Easson says the lone doctor in the village will be assisted by travelling physicians aiding rural areas.

For emergency service, the authority recommends patients call 9-1-1 or travel to nearby Kamloops or Merritt for walk-in service. If a patient is unsure of their conditions, Easson advises calling HealthLink at 8-1-1 to speak to a medical professional.

Health Connections will provide patients with affordable round-trips to neighbouring communities. To arrange a pick-up for travel to Kamloops, call 1-855-359-3935.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Glynn Brothen at gbrothen@infonews.ca, or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.