There is some relief in sight if you have been waiting for elective surgery.
Interior Health said in a news release today that non-urgent surgeries will resume Feb. 23 and be phased back to normal over the following two weeks.
Select outpatient services, adult day programs and non-urgent home health services will also resume.
The services were temporarily paused on Jan. 18 due staff shortages caused by COVID-19, but CEO Susan Brown says they are beginning to subside.
“We are working with impacted communities this week and assigning staff back to their regular roles throughout the region following a phased approach that brings services back in a safe and planned way,” she said in the release.
“While staffing is not stable enough to safely restore all services next week, we are pleased to take initial steps and resume non-urgent elective surgeries for people throughout Interior Health,” Brown said.
“We will be rescheduling postponed procedures to catch up with the backlog as quickly as possible.”
In the Kootenays, overnight services at Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver will remain unavailable.
Interior Health says it is actively recruiting to fill two full-time registered nurse vacancies to this community before staffing will be sufficiently stabilized.
Emergency department hours will temporarily remain 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.