Mission Memorial Hospital's emergency department is entering its longest period of overnight closures yet, with reduced operating hours now extended through May 4 due to persistent staffing challenges at Fraser Health.
The emergency department, which normally operates around the clock, has been running on a limited 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule since early April. The temporary measure was initially expected to end April 6, but continued recruitment difficulties have forced health officials to extend the closure another month.
For residents of Mission and surrounding communities in the Fraser Valley, the prolonged closure raises serious concerns about access to emergency care during evening and overnight hours—precisely when medical emergencies often occur.
Real Fears Among Vulnerable Families
Cheryl Poitras of Mission understands the anxiety firsthand. Her four-year-old daughter suffers from a severe allergy of unknown origin and experienced an anaphylactic reaction in 2024. The thought of a medical emergency occurring after 5 p.m., when the local ER is closed, keeps her worried.
"It just makes me sad for our whole community," Poitras said. "You just never know what could happen at any moment."
Krista Krumpton, who lives in Deroche about 20 kilometres northeast of Mission, echoed similar concerns. During an overnight emergency, patients in her area face a 20- to 30-minute drive to alternative hospitals in Abbotsford or Maple Ridge—a difficult prospect when every minute counts in a medical crisis.
"It gives me a little bit of anxiety," Krumpton said. "All of a sudden, having to take a car wherever, to go to Abbotsford or to Chilliwack... that kind of puts a damper on things."
Health Authority's Response
Fraser Health maintains that nursing staff remain on site 24/7 to triage patients and provide initial stabilization before transferring them to neighbouring facilities. According to Dr. Paul Theron, Mission Memorial Hospital's medical director, an average of only two to five patients per night are being redirected during closures, and neighbouring hospitals have not experienced statistically significant increases in patient volume.
"This is an absolute last strategy," Dr. Theron stated, emphasizing that overnight closures occur only when staffing shortages make safe operations impossible.
A Systemic Problem Across the Province
Mission is not alone in facing emergency department closures. British Columbia has seen multiple hospitals—including those in Lillooet and Fort St. James—implement similar temporary closures in recent years due to nursing shortages.
Mission Mayor Paul Horn characterized the issue as far larger than a single health authority problem.
"This is not just a local Fraser Health issue, it's a systemic and major issue," Mayor Horn said. "It's really critical that we try to find a stable response to that issue because an emergency that is closing frequently is of very little value to people."
Both Fraser Health and the B.C. government have committed to ongoing recruitment and retention efforts to address the underlying staffing crisis. However, residents and community leaders say more urgent solutions are needed to restore full-time emergency services to Mission Memorial Hospital.
This article is based on reporting from CBC Health. Read the original story at CBC News.