The Emergency Department at the Lakes District Hospital in Burn Lake is once again closed due to staffing challenges, shutting its doors at 7:00AM this morning, Wednesday, November 5th.
Northern Health says Emergency Department services in Burns Lake will be unavailable until at least 8:00AM tomorrow morning, Thursday, November 6th.
As usual during periods of Emergency Department deferrals, those in need of immediate care for a life-threatening issue should not hesitate to call 911, as transport to the nearest available facility is still available.
The Health Authority has asked those with access to a family doctor to check in with them first for non-urgent needs, while those without have been urged to avail of an online virtual clinic, Healthlink BC, or a pharmacist for minor ailments. Indigenous residents have access to the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day program by calling 1-855-344-3800 between 8:30AM and 4:30PM.
The Lakes District Hospital’s Emergency Department has seen repeated closures due to staffing challenges recently, with no less than seven closures of varying lengths since October 22nd.
Residents of Burns Lake have begun to speak out via social media channels about the closures, with comments ranging from accusations of mismanagement leveled at the Health Authority, to support for Hospital staff who are already stretched thin by a recruitment and retention crisis. Some residents drew attention to the fact Burns Lake is one of many Hospitals province-wide experiencing the same staffing crunch, while others have claimed that Healthcare models used in the past seemed to have been more effective.
Northern Health had issued a reminder on social media yesterday morning, urging everyone accessing health services to treat Healthcare staff with respect, noting that any form of violence, including foul language and especially acts of abuse directed at staff, is unacceptable and will lead to consequences.
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