Fort Macleod emergency room closes for the day due to sudden staff shortage

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 28, 2025 12:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The exigency country astatine the Fort Macleod Health Centre closed Friday owed to a staffing shortage and is acceptable to stay closed until 5 p.m., according to Alberta Health Services.

The closure is owed to a "clinical unit shortage and an inability to unafraid impermanent coverage," AHS said successful a quality release.

All different services astatine the wellness centre volition proceed normally.

Patients are asked to telephone 911 if they person a aesculapian exigency portion the emergence country is closed.

"EMS volition stay disposable to the assemblage and volition beryllium re-routed to surrounding facilities, including the Chinook Regional Hospital successful Lethbridge," AHS said.

Non-emergency wellness concerns tin beryllium addressed by calling Health Link astatine 811.

"Depending connected their needs, patients whitethorn besides beryllium capable to entree immoderate services done section pharmacies," AHS said.

AHS says it is continuing to effort to find the objective unit needed to unfastened the exigency country and, if sum is found, it volition beryllium reopened earlier 5 p.m. 

"This is simply a impermanent measure, and AHS is moving hard to guarantee residents proceed to person entree to the attraction they request during this time," it said successful the release.

Fort Macleod is astir 175 kilometres southbound of Calgary.