Another overnight closure for Mission Memorial Hospital ER

Mission Memorial Hospital is seen in this file photo. (CTV News)

For the third Sunday in a row, the emergency room at Mission Memorial Hospital will close at 5 p.m. due to a shortage of doctors, according to Fraser Health.

The timing is meant to ensure that anyone who is already waiting to see a doctor will be able to receive treatment before the physician’s shift ends at 11 p.m., the health authority said in a statement.

“During the service interruption, emergency-trained nurses will continue to be on site and available to support walk-in patients needing basic care, assist with re-direction of care, and/or transfer patients with urgent needs to a neighbouring hospital,” the bulletin said.

Anyone who requires medical attention for a life-threatening emergency is urged to call 911.

Emergency rooms at all other hospitals in the Fraser Health region are open, but people with non-urgent issues can expect long waits due to “high numbers of people seeking care and human resources challenges,” according to the bulletin.

The emergency room will re-open at 8 a.m. Monday

Fraser Health said “every effort” is being made to recruit more doctors to “maintain service continuity.”