Lab work at the Lakes District Hospital in Burns Lake has been changed to an appointment system.
According to Northern Health Spokesperson Eryn Collins, appointments can be made by calling the lab at 250-692-2471 during its hours of operation.
The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 8am until 11am.
Collins said this is due to ongoing staffing issues at the hospital.
“There is a shortage of laboratory techs and lab assistants but, that is not unique to the Burns Lake area, that is locally and regionally as well. We are continually working on strategies to recruit and retain those sorts of staff,” she said.
Collins added in addition to the shortage there are a couple of long term leaves as well that are impacting the staffing levels.
She also said the process to adjust to an appointment based system has been relatively smooth.
“The scheduled appointments do help us [Northern Health] ensure that we can keep the flow of people through the lab at a manageable level not only for COVID-19 considerations but for being able to schedule staff to manage the workload,” Collins said.
She added the community will be notified if there is a change to the appointment process or if the drop in capability is added back.
Something going on in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
