If you are waiting for minor surgery, it might be delayed.
Day surgeries in Halifax and Truro are being put on hold for at least this week.
Nova Scotia Health (NSH) says they are dealing with nursing shortages, busy emergency rooms and a stressful demand for hospital beds.
“This situation has required some facilities to close surgical beds, reduce or change OR schedules, delay some surgeries requiring hospital admissions and postpone some non-urgent procedures. The increase in admissions also means that surgical beds must often be used to care for other patients,” NSH stated in a release.
Time sensitive surgeries are still going ahead as planned.
- Anyone with urgent medical needs should call 911.
- If your health concern is not urgent, we request you contact a family doctor or go to a walk-in clinic.
- For general health advice and information call 811, a service offered 24/7 by experienced registered nurses.
- The Mental Health Crisis Line can also be reached 24/7 by calling 1-888-429-8167.
Nova Scotia Health is apologizing for increase in wait times in emergency departments and the impacts of these high demands for services on other patients and our health care providers.
“We know these past 19 months have been very difficult for everyone and we continue to ask a lot of our staff and physicians. We are aware of too many situations where our staff have been subjected to abusive behaviour and language, including personal threats. This is not acceptable and is adding to our staffing recruitment and retention challenges. Please be kind and know that we are here to help.”
