Keremeos and area residents are advised of a temporary change to emergency department hours at the South Similkameen Health Centre, due to limited nursing staff availability. Emergency services will be unavailable starting at 3:30 p.m. today, Sept. 6. The emergency department will resume regular hours at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Sept. 7. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital at 550 Carmi Ave. in Penticton. 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.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC (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.  The emergency department in Keremeos is normally open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

CLEARWATER - Clearwater and area residents are advised of ongoing temporary changes to overnight emergency department (ED) hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital due to limited nursing availability. Emergency services will not be available from 6 p.m. on Sept. 3, until 7 a.m. the following morning. Twenty-four-hour ED service will resume on Sept. 4. When service is not available, patients can access care at: Royal Inland Hospital – 311 Columbia Street, Kamloops 100 Mile House District General Hospital – 555 Cedar Avenue South, 100 Mile House 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. Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC (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. Other inpatient services at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital are not impacted by the change to the ED and continue as normal. The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.

ASHCROFT – Ashcroft and area residents are advised of a temporary change to the Ashcroft emergency department hours this weekend due to limited nursing staff availability. Emergency services will not be available this weekend. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital at 311 Columbia Street in Kamloops. There is no emergency department service during the week or overnight on weekends in Ashcroft. Regular emergency department hours are Friday, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. 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. Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC (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.

Submitted by Susan Brown, President & CEO, Interior Health I was recently looking at the website of Moms Stop the Harm, a local advocacy group that is heavily involved in organizing Overdose Awareness Day events. I was reflecting on the last few years; the increasing drug toxicity deaths we’re seeing, the tremendous challenges first responders and care providers face, and the loss communities continue to experience. The photo tribute page on their website is heart-breaking. Row upon row of faces, most young men around the same age as my own son. Each person loved and dearly missed, gone too soon due to drug poisoning. International Overdose Awareness Day is held each year on August 31 to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with substance use and drug-related death. It is an important day to recognize the loss and grief felt by so many people around the world and here at home. This opportunity to build awareness is more important than ever. According to the latest report from the BC Coroner’s Service within Interior Health during the first five months of 2022 alone there were 149 drug toxicity deaths. The rising numbers correspond to an increasingly poisonous street drug supply. The presence of fentanyl is now commonplace and made even more dangerous with the addition of tranquilizers and other complicating substances. It is hard to be hopeful in these circumstances, but I have also seen tremendous system improvements. We often talk about “building the plane as we fly it” and this emergency has us doing just that, balancing crisis response with prevention and innovation as we strive to provide enhanced substance use services to all people in Interior Health. This is not the same crisis we faced when the Provincial Health Officer proclaimed the overdose public health emergency in 2016. The toxic drug crisis is not static - it keeps changing. We must keep pace. In the last two years in particular we have seen record investments in substance use services, including both bed-based inpatient and community-based outpatient options. Prescribed safe supply has been introduced in Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, and Penticton, and we’re working closely with partners to expand to other communities as quickly as possible. Drug testing is available at 72 locations across our region, and continues to grow. Life-saving overdose prevention and supervised consumption services continue to play an important role in not only keeping people alive, but connecting them to support and treatment. Within Interior Health our substance use and harm reduction teams are increasingly joined by “peers” – people with lived and living experience who provide guidance in program planning and implementation. I thank them for sharing their wisdom. This August 31 you can show your support by wearing a purple wristband, attending an event, lighting a candle, or sharing information on social media. Most of all we need to rethink substance use, which is a heavily stigmatized health condition, and focus on working together towards a solution. To learn more about the overdose public health emergency, including prevention tips, visit our Toxic Drug Crisis webpage. Learn more about International Overdose Awareness Day and view a list of community events.

Barriere and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Barriere and District Health Centre due to limited nursing availability. Starting Monday, Aug. 29 at 8:30 a.m., to Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m., emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. During this time, all other services will continue as normal at the Barriere 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 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.  The emergency department in Barriere is normally open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Clearwater and area residents are advised of ongoing temporary changes to overnight emergency department (ED) hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital due to limited nursing availability. Emergency services will not be available from 6 p.m. on Aug. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2 until 7 a.m. the following mornings. The emergency department will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on all these dates. When service is not available, patients can access care at: Royal Inland Hospital – 311 Columbia Street, Kamloops 100 Mile House District General Hospital – 555 Cedar Avenue South, 100 Mile House 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.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC (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.  Other inpatient services at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital are not impacted by the change to the ED and continue as normal. The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.   View more toxic drug, environmental, and COVID-19 alerts.

Merritt and area residents are advised of a temporary change to emergency department hours at Nicola Valley Hospital due to unexpected limited physician availability. Starting 8 a.m. Sunday, August 21 to 8 a.m. Monday, August 22, emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or Kelowna General Hospital. During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at Nicola Valley 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.  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.  The emergency department in Merritt is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department (ED) hours at South Okanagan General Hospital, due to limited physician availability. Starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 until 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 21 emergency services will be unavailable, and patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital – 550 Carmi Ave, Penticton. 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. Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC (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.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.