Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater/via Interior Health
A reprieve for folks in the North Thompson who need emergency medical care this Tuesday.
Interior Health revealing shortly after 9am that the Emergency Room at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater is back up and running.
The Health Authority announced early Tuesday morning (shortly after midnight) that it was planning on shuttering it for 13 hours today, from 6am to 7pm.
However, Interior Health now says the ER is backup and running.
The Authority is not saying how it managed to get the staff needed to reopen — or whether it was even a staffing issue to begin with that became the catalyst for the original closure, as per Interior Health’s own internal polices.
I-H stopped providing rationale for Emergency Room closures toward the end of October 2024 citing staff safety concerns.
During ER shutdowns in Clearwater, Interior Health advises those looking for medical care to travel to either 100 Mile General Hospital or Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
Maps displaying the approximate distance people would need to travel to seek alternative help due to the unexpected closure of the Clearwater ER this long weekend/via Google Maps
