By Angela Hill

Update: Shellbrook acute care services to be disrupted

Jul 25, 2011 | 9:24 AM

The physician shortage in Shellbrook has led to service disruptions in the community.

There will be no new acute care inpatient admission starting today and current inpatients will be discharged or transferred by the beginning of next week.

After the August long weekend, emergency-department services will only be available during the weekends only, from 6 p.m. Fridays until 8 a.m. Mondays.

This is a concern for the health region, said Dr. Dr. Edmund Royeppen, senior medical officer for the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region.

“Currently in Victoria Hospital we run very close to capacity, so it is of grave concern to us that we have lost the 20 acute-care beds here in Shellbrook on a 24-seven basis,” he said.

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But, there will be some patients transferred to Shellbrook, as staffing levels are remaining virtually the same.

“One of the things that we have done is we will continue to utilize the beds in Shellbrook by transferring people who do not need to be in the acute care environment, while they are recuperating or waiting for long-term care assessments or who have been deemed long-term care, but do not as yet have a long-term care bed in the region … thus creating more acute care capacity for Victoria hospital,” Royeppen said.

In the meantime, the region is working on a plan to restore services as soon as possible

Doctors from Prince Albert, along with a nurse practitioner, are scheduled to travel to Shellbrook during the reduction of services at the hospital to maintain regular clinic times.

Area residents can call one of the medical clinics for an appointment as they usually would.

The changes had to be made because the region has yet to be able to replace three doctors leaving the community. They continue to look for replacements and new solutions, Royeppen said.

“Our long-term plans for the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region in terms of acute care services will be to continue utilizing Shellbrook as an acute care facility,” he said.

The currently-under-construction Shellbrook and District Integrated Facility is going forward as planned and Royeppen said the region continues to support that initiative.

See related:

Service disruptions planned for Shellbrook Hospital
Service disruptions planned for Shellbrook Hospital Emergency Department
Physicians give notice in Shellbrook

ahill@panow.com