Clearwater and area residents are advised Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital Emergency Department will go on diversion at 6 p.m. tonight until 7 a.m. Friday, due to limited staffing availability.

The emergency department is on diversion from:

• 6 p.m. Thursday, July 21 to 7 a.m. Friday, July 22

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:

Dooshima enjoying views of Okanagan Lake in the winter

Name: Dooshima Jessica Iyorchir (she/her)
Job Title: Student Data Analyst
Years of Service: Two months
Worksite: Community Health & Services Centre
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx
Advice to live by: Keep moving forward.

Dooshima has a natural belief that there is nothing she can’t accomplish. 

Summer is here and, for many of us in the B.C. Interior, it’s a time to enjoy actively moving around in our communities. Many people are enjoying alternative low carbon ways of getting around. E-scooters are a convenient, fun alternative to driving a car.

Two Interior communities – Kelowna and Vernon – are currently participating in a three-year provincial pilot project, allowing residents and visitors to use electric kick scooters (e-scooters) under similar rules as bikes and e-bikes. In addition, many individuals across the region have access to their own e-scooter.

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

Our social media platforms are a great way to engage with our Interior Health community and share information. Check out these recent posts, and consider sharing them with your friends and family on your own social channels. 

If the link to the social channel does not open, please try another browser. You may be able to find these posts on other social channels.

Fighting stigma is easier than you think. Learn how you can make a positive impact on the lives of people living with dementia.

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

Summer is in full swing and many people in B.C. are enjoying lakes, rivers and swimming pools. Water sports are a great way to stay active and have fun. However, there's a risk of drowning whenever you're enjoying the water.

“Water activities like swimming and boating can be a lot of fun and a great way to cool down, but drowning is a danger we all need to think about," says Mike Adams, team lead with Interior Health's Healthy Communities team.

CLEARWATER - Clearwater and area residents are advised Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital Emergency Department is on diversion until 7 a.m. tomorrow, due to limited staffing availability.

The emergency department is on diversion from:

• 9:30 p.m. Monday, July 18 to 7 a.m. Tuesday, July 19

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:

People in the Interior will soon see an increase in surgical capacity as Interior Health adds five new operating rooms (OR): two at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) and three at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) in Kamloops, along with increased supports for staff.

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