Residents of BC Interior city told to drive up to 100 km to 'access care' due to nursing shortage

A hospital in the British Columbia Interior was unable to provide emergency services overnight due to a shortage of nurses.

The emergency department at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake closed down at 6:30 pm on Monday.

It’s set to reopen at 7:30 am this morning.

Interior Health blamed “limited nursing available” for the denial of service.

Residents were told last night they could "access care" in 100 Mile House (about 80 kilometres away) or Quesnel (about 100 km away).

No other inpatient services at Cariboo Memorial Hospital have been affected by the nurse shortage.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” Interior Health said in its public bulletin on Monday.

“Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can 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.”