During National Volunteer Week (April 24-30, 2022), Interior Health (IH) extends its gratitude to more than 4,800+ IH volunteers across the region.

“Thank you to everyone volunteering with Interior Health across the region,” said Interior Health president and CEO, Susan Brown. “Your warmth, kindness, and compassion provides comfort to people in our care, and it makes a tremendous difference across IH.”

Kimmi and Harjit are medical office assistants at Cedar Sage Health & Wellness Centre 

Health care is teams, within teams, all working together towards supporting the patient experience. 

Our administrative services staff are integral members of clinical service delivery in primary care, home health, public health, and mental health and substance use.

Merritt and area residents are advised that the emergency department at Nicola Valley Hospital will be closed today from 6:30 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, April 24, due to unforeseen limited staffing availability.

Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations and reminds residents to take note of the following if they require care while the emergency department is closed:

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert. 

View more toxic drug and environmental and COVID-19 alerts

Did you know that about 60 per cent of food produced in Canada is lost or wasted? Health Canada suggests reducing, recovering and recycling as ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the sustainability of our food system. 

Food gets wasted at every step of the food system - during production, packaging, processing, wholesale and distribution, in the store, and at home. That’s why local food systems, with fewer steps between producer and consumer, can be part of the solution to reducing food waste.  

People in Vernon will soon have greater access to care closer to home with construction underway on 90 new publicly funded long-term care beds in the community, as part of the largest one-time increase in long-term care beds in the Interior in more than 16 years.

View the full release

This year’s Earth Day theme – invest in our planet – fits perfectly with Interior Health’s commitment to protect the planet and reduce our environmental footprint. 

“At Interior Health, we are focused on providing a greener health-care environment across the region,” said Interior Health president and CEO, Susan Brown. “With innovative solutions, collaboration, and new investments, we are lowering our carbon footprint and doing our part to prevent the effects of climate change.”

Committed to Meeting Reduction Targets

The Penticton Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) is celebrating one year of expanded access to services and team-based health care in the community.

“The urgent and primary care centre has proven to be a valuable community resource in Penticton,” said Interior Health president and CEO, Susan Brown. “Whether it’s being used to treat someone’s urgent care needs to prevent an unnecessary emergency department visit, or connecting people to mental health and substance use supports, it has seen more than 17,000 visits since opening last year.”

Interior Health has more than 4,800 volunteers across the region. These volunteers fill a variety of roles that benefit our staff, patients, clients and residents alike.