BONNYVILLE, Alta – Beginning on July 25, the Bonnyville Health Centre will be temporarily reducing some of its services due to anticipated staffing shortages.
The services affected are expected to return to normal as of Sept. 7, based on current information, according to a July 15 media release by Covenant Health’s communications department.
Obstetrics unavailable
Service reductions are noted to include a full stop of obstetric care.
“Obstetric service will not be available, and patients will be contacted by their obstetrical team to discuss alternate options for care and delivery,” states Covenant Health.
These temporary reductions in services will also impact non-emergent surgeries.
“Surgical services will be limited to Monday to Friday. Patients will be contacted if their surgery will be affected, and emergent surgeries will be assessed on a case-by-case basis,” continues the Catholic healthcare organization.
There will also be a reduction of six acute care beds until Sept. 6.
“We would like to thank the community for their patience and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as we navigate this extended staffing shortage,” reads a comment attributed to Shelly Franklin, the site administrator of the Bonnyville Health Centre.
“We acknowledge that this temporary service reduction will cause some concern for local residents, and we ask that you are patient with our staff during this challenging time.”
Other service areas, including the emergency department, are to remain open at the Bonnyville hospital.
Covenant Health anticipates the listed service reductions may impact patient flow and wait times throughout the facility.
“We are grateful to the teams from Covenant Health and AHS, who are working tirelessly to find solutions to staffing shortages in the North Zone. Our top priority remains the safety of our patients and staff,” continues Franklin.
