Middle Musquodoboit emergency department to be closed for nearly a week

The emergency department at the Musquodoboit Valley Memorial Hospital will be closed from Monday to Friday this week.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority said the department would be closed from Aug. 12 to Aug. 16, with the emergency department reopening on Saturday, Aug. 17.

The health authority said the reason the emergency department is closed is due to a physician shortage.

Other closures include the emergency department of the North Cumberland Collaborative Emergency Centre in Pugwash, N.S. It's closed until 8 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11.

Eastern Shore Memorial Hospital's emergency department is closed from 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 12 until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

The emergency department of the Roseway Hospital in Shelburne, N.S., will also be closed until 8 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11, and again between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 12. 

The Annapolis Community Health Centre's collaborative emergency centre has three temporary closures listed for this week. 

• Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 15, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 16, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All closures are due to a lack of physicians available to cover-off the shifts. 

Anyone experiencing an emergency is encouraged to call 911 or to visit the next closest emergency department, the health authority stated in a news release.

For non-emergency health advice, the health authority said it's best to call 811.

The mental health crisis line is operated 24 hours, seven days a week at 1-888-429-8167.