Staff shortages close Carberry emergency department

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This article was published 05/09/2023 (776 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Carberry’s emergency department has been closed until further notice due to staff shortages.

The Carberry Health Clinic serves the town and surrounding communities in Prairie Mountain Health Region. The 10-bed hospital includes a personal care home and emergency room, but staff vacancies, struggles to recruit health care staff and staff off on vacation have created an indefinite gap in service.

“(Prairie Mountain Health) continues efforts to actively recruit staff to ensure that temporary suspension of services at sites are as short in duration as possible,” PMH CEO Brian Schoonbaert said in an email Sunday.

Schoonbaert said the health region is using social media and public postering to inform the town’s approximately 1,600 people and said people can find up-to-date hours for surrounding health centres online.

“Individuals requiring ED services during the temporary suspension are encouraged to call the Carberry Health Centre to determine the nearest open emergency department … Shared Health Emergency Medical Services (ambulance) will continue to provide emergency response for the community of Carberry and surrounding areas,” he said.

Those who call 911 will be transported to the nearest open emergency department.

The shortage will also affect the municipality of Glenboro, home to around 600 people, as the two communities share emergency services. Currently, Glenboro Health Centre’s emergency department is only open one day a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca