Island Health says it remains committed to restoring 24-hour emergency care in Port Hardy, but there’s still no set timeline.
The statement follows comments from Mayor Pat Corbett-Labatt, who says the District has no authority over hospital operations and can’t simply reopen the ER, despite what’s being said online.
Port Hardy’s mayor pushing for solution to limited ER hours : My Tri-Port Now
“Island Health is committed to improving health and care services for people living in North Vancouver Island. We are incredibly grateful to Mayor Corbett-Labatt, Port Hardy council, local First Nations, the Regional District of Mount Waddington and all elected leaders in the region for their continued collaboration and support,” said Island Health’s statement. “Their advocacy for and commitment to the communities they serve is commendable.”
Corbett-Labatt says council is meeting regularly with health officials to push for more staff and longer hours, including a proposal to keep the ER open until 7 p.m. seven days a week.
Island Health says progress continues, but shortages of nurses and lab staff remain the biggest hurdle.
“The continued success in recruiting physicians to the community is an important step towards further stabilizing and enhancing local services,” said a statement from Island Health. “However, physician coverage is not the only limiting factor to reinstating 24/7 emergency department services. Island Health is also working to recruit and train other clinical staff required for stable 24/7 emergency services, including emergency department certified nurses and laboratory staff. Stable staffing levels for all these important parts of the care team are required to extend ED hours in Port Hardy.”
For now, emergency care is still available around the clock at Port McNeill Hospital, which is about a 40 km drive from Port Hardy.
