Interior Health has announced some significant “temporary service adjustments” that will impact a number of area hospitals near Kamloops.

It includes the total closure of the Barriere Health Centre, with reduced service in Clearwater, Ashcroft, and Lillooet among other places because of Omicron-related COVID-19 staffing challenges.

“As we manage the Omicron-driven COVID-19 staffing impacts on the health system, Interior Health is proactively identifying services to adjust and relocate in order to maintain safe patient care,” Interior Health President and CEO, Susan Brown, said, in a statement Tuesday.

“We will resume normal operations in impacted communities as soon as possible and in the meantime, we are temporarily reassigning and redeploying staff to sustain essential services throughout the region.”

Staff in Barriere will be redeployed to neighbouring communities, and people who need emergency care are being told to call 911 or head to the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital and Health Centre in Clearwater, 60 km away, or to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, 64 km away.

In Clearwater and Lillooet, all six in patient beds will be temporarily closed, while all eight inpatient beds will be close in Invermere. Interior Health says these closures will stabilize the emergency departments in those communities.

There will also be reduced overnight hours at the Ashcroft Community Health Centre to “stabilize daytime services” in the community. Instead of being open from 6 p.m. on Friday through to 8 a.m. on Monday, the Ashcroft ER will now be open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

People who need emergency case outside those new hours are being to call 911 or head to Kamloops, 97 km away.

Reduced emergency hours will also be in place at the Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver.

The health authority is also temporarily rescheduling all non-urgent surgeries while also reducing services to some outpatient services, some primary care services, adult day programs, and some non-urgent home health services.

“Current COVID-19 pressures have lead to a staffing crisis that requires temporary emergency measures to maintain access to essential services that are relied on regionally,” Brown added, in her statement.

“We regret the impacts these service adjustments may cause and will be contacting patients, clients and residents directly to address care needs wherever possible.”