If there’s one lesson to take away from the toxic drug crisis – now sometimes referred to as the unregulated drug poisoning emergency – it’s that things are not always what they may appear.
Despite what we might believe about who uses substances and why, or what we see in our communities or in the media, consider these stats from the BC Coroners Service:
Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to unexpected limited physician availability.
Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4 until 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5 and patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital.
During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.
Castlegar and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Castlegar and District Community Health Centre due to unexpected limited physician availability.
Starting 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail or Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson.
Oliver and area residents are advised that the recent temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital (SOGH) have been rescinded.
Emergency services will now be available from 8 a.m. Saturday, September 2. Interior Health is committed to emergency services in Oliver, and will continuously work to secure coverage in the event of any service interruptions. We are pleased to have secured physician coverage for this weekend.
Interior Health has begun to support the return of long-term care residents to Brandt’s Creek Mews in Kelowna and to Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna now that threat of wildfire associated with the Grouse Complex wildfire has been reduced.
Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital (SOGH) due to unexpected limited physician availability.
Emergency services will be unavailable from 8 a.m. Friday, September 1 until 8 a.m. Sunday, September 3 and patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital.
During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.
On International Overdose Awareness Day, Interior Health has released the 2022 Medical Health Officer (MHO) report, The Toxic Drug Crisis in BC’s Southern Interior Region (Part 2).
Authored by MHO Dr. Carol Fenton, the report updates on the impact of the unregulated substance poisoning emergency since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, explores the various reasons why people may use substances, and lays out a framework for all of the work needed to respond to this crisis.
New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre due to unexpected limited nursing availability.
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital at 97 - 1st Ave NE, Nakusp.
Name: Elaine Prud’homme (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Youth Substance Use Connections DASW (Discipline Allied with Social Work)
Years of Service: 10
Worksite: Rocky Mountain Lodge MHSU (Mental Health and Substance Use)
Community: Cranbrook
Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa
New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre due to unexpected limited nursing availability.