Lillooet Hospital emergency room in B.C. faces another closure

Lillooet ER has faced a string of shutdowns this year, with over 30 closures in six months.

Emergency services at the Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre in B.C. will be unavailable for over 24 hours, as the facility announces yet another closure.

The emergency department closed at 7 a.m. Friday morning and will remain closed until 8 a.m. Saturday, according to a statement from Interior Health.

Patients are advised to access care at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops in the meantime.

“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 statement said.

The shutdown marks the latest in a string of over 30 closures the medical facility has faced this year, with past incidents most often caused by a lack of hospital staff.

Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted is advised to call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

All other inpatient services at the hospital are running as normal.