Emergency room at Merritt’s hospital closing, again

The emergency room at the hospital in Merritt will be closed tomorrow.

According to an Interior Health Authority media release, the ER at the Nicola Valley Hospital will be closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Feb. 8, due to a shortage of doctors.

The health authority is advising anyone that needs emergency medical care to go to the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

Emergency department services will be available again in Merritt at 5 p.m., Feb. 8.

The hospital has faced several short-term closures recently.

The release states that all other inpatient services will continue as normal at the Merritt hospital.

"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," the release says.

Anyone unsure whether they need to go to hospital can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.healthlinkbc.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24/7.

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