Reduced service at health centre in Pelly Crossing, Yukon, this week because of staffing

The community health centre in Pelly Crossing, Yukon, is operating at reduced capacity this week.

Territorial health officials issued a notice saying the centre will remain open, with one nurse in the community until Friday. 

Residents who need urgent care can go to the health centre during regular clinic hours, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The nurse and an Emergency Medical Services paramedic will be available for emergency coverage after hours, the notice says.

The government says the service reduction is because of staffing shortages.

It's the latest health-care staffing issue for the government. The Pelly health centre was closed for a day and a half last winter because no nurses were available, and again for several weeks in the spring.

Last week, Yukon Health and Social Services announced on its Facebook page that the Faro Health Centre is expected to be closed from Aug. 6 at 8 a.m. to Sept. 5. at 4:30 p.m. It said there will be no nurses in the community during that time, but an emergency medical services paramedic will be stationed there during the closure. That centre has been operating with one nurse since July 21.

And last month, the health centre in Ross River, Yukon, was without a nurse for more than a week and services at that centre were reduced through most of July, also because of staffing shortages.

A government spokesperson said in June that they were "actively recruiting health professionals and exploring new staffing models to support long-term stability in Ross River and other rural areas."