BC Interior ER closed Friday night, people told to drive 170 km for emergency care

An emergency department in the BC Interior will be closed overnight Friday due to a lack of doctors.

At 5 pm, Interior Health said the emergency department at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre would be closing at 7 pm Friday.

It will not reopen until 8 am on Saturday.

Interior Health is saying people who need emergency medical attention are advised to visit the Royal Inland Hospital In Kamloops.

That is roughly 170 kilometres east and a nearly two hour drive away.

All other inpatient services will continue as normal at the Lillooet Hospital.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” Interior Health said in a statement.

This emergency department has closed several times in recent months due to a shortage of available doctors.