Kaslo and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Kaslo Primary Health Centre due to limited availability of nursing staff.
Effective immediately, emergency department services will be unavailable until 1 p.m. today, Tuesday, July 2. Emergency department services will resume at 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Patients can access emergency care at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson, open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, or at Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver, open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
During this time, primary care services will continue as normal at Kaslo Primary Health Centre.
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.
Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
The emergency department in Kaslo is normally open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed weekend and statutory holidays.