Some residents and local leaders are expressing concern after yet another emergency room (ER) closure at a Metro Vancouver hospital.<\/p>\n
We wrote about a closure at Delta Hospital\u2019s ER earlier this year<\/a>. This past weekend, the hospital experienced another closure that lasted over 12 hours<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Delta Councillor Dylan Kruger, this is the fourth time the ER has closed at the Metro Vancouver hospital just this year.<\/p>\n \u201cA city of more than 110,000 people has been left without access to emergency care in its own community, for the fourth time in the same year,\u201d Kruger said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe responsibility for this failure rests squarely with the BC government. Delta residents deserve dependable, 24\/7 emergency services. The Province has known about these staffing and capacity issues for years, yet here we are again. Another night, another closure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n According to Fraser Health, physician staffing challenges were cited as the reason for the closure.<\/p>\n Fraser Health referred to it as a \u201ctemporary service interruption,\u201d which lasted from Saturday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m., until Sunday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 a.m.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the service interruption, emergency-trained nurses will continue to be on site and available to support walk-in patients needing basic care, assist with re-direction of care, and\/or transfer patients with urgent needs to a neighbouring hospital,\u201d Fraser Health said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone with a life-threatening emergency, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing or severe bleeding, should call 911 immediately and will be transported to the nearest available and appropriate facility,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n Fraser Health stated that it recognizes the importance of \u201cconsistent access\u201d to emergency care and that it\u2019s working to address staffing gaps. Fraser Health also issued an advisory on Facebook<\/a>, which has led to some comments from the public, including a couple of people who called the news \u201cunacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n Another comment rhetorically asks, \u201cIs this our new normal?\u201d<\/p>\n At a City of Delta meeting tonight, Kruger will be asking council to declare a public health emergency.<\/p>\n Four ER closures in a year. No urgent care centre. Thousands without a family doctor.<\/p>\n Tonight I\u2019m calling on Delta Council to declare a Public Health Emergency. The province needs to wake up \u2013 our healthcare system is in crisis. pic.twitter.com\/72DuNgX8nz<\/a><\/p>\n