Due to ongoing physician recruitment challenges and to continue to support local residents with health-care service access they need during daytime and evening hours when the Saanich Peninsula Hospital (SPH) emergency department is busiest, Island Health is extending a temporary overnight closure of the emergency department.
The SPH emergency department will continue the current temporary overnight closure from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m originally scheduled to end tonight. BC Emergency Health Services ambulances will continue to be diverted to Royal Jubilee Hospital or Victoria General Hospital from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call 911 or, if possible, proceed to Royal Jubilee Hospital or Victoria General Hospital. Island Health and BC Emergency Health Services have protocols in place to ensure patients are transported to the appropriate site.
If you are unsure if you are experiencing a medical situation requiring a visit to an emergency department, confidential health information and advice from a registered nurse is available toll free, 24/7 by calling HealthLink BC at 811.
During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at SPH.
Prior to the overnight changes earlier this summer, approximately 13 patients arrived at the SPH emergency department between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with two arriving by ambulance. Since the hours change, between the Royal Jubilee Hospital and Victoria General Hospital emergency departments, an average of less than 3 patients have been seen each night who reside on the Saanich Peninsula during the overnight closure hours.
Island Health acknowledges this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by this temporary service interruption while we continue recruitment efforts and explore care models to strengthen, extend and support our care providers.