Nova Scotia Health is advising that some non-emergency services will continue to be reduced in Eastern and Northern zones due to the heavy snow in parts of the province and poor road conditions in many areas.
The following service changes outlined below are planned for Tuesday. Other than separately announced emergency department closures, services not identified below are operating as scheduled.
Patients are asked to consider the nature of booked appointments and whether any non-urgent appointments can be rescheduled. Please do not attempt to travel to a scheduled care appointment if it is unsafe for you to travel.
Eastern Zone:
- Emergency surgeries only Tuesday; elective surgical procedures and endoscopies are cancelled.
- Appointments for outpatient lab and diagnostic imaging (X-Ray, MRI, CT, etc.) appointments are cancelled.
- Ambulatory care clinics, rehab outpatient clinics (including Obesity Care Clinic) and outpatient clinics are cancelled.
- Cancer care clinics and services will be provided as scheduled with virtual care provided as appropriate.
- Palliative care outpatient clinics and home visits are cancelled. Virtual care will be provided as appropriate.
- Mental Health and Addictions outpatient clinics are cancelled. Virtual follow-up will occur as appropriate.
- Adult Day Programs are closed.
- Renal dialysis will be provided as scheduled. Patients are asked to phone ahead before their appointments.
- Primary care collaborative care clinics in CBRM will remain closed and offer virtual care as appropriate. Patients will be contacted. Primary care in Antigonish and rural communities will be mainly virtual with some in-person care as appropriate. Patients will be contacted about their appointments.
- Diabetes Education Centres/Clinics will provide care virtually as appropriate, and patients will be contacted directly.
- Public Health clinics, home visits, or community visits will be cancelled. Public Health Mobile Unit clinics will also be cancelled in Eastern Zone this week: Whitney Pier Legion – Tuesday, Feb. 6 and Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre – Wednesday, Feb. 7
- Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) in North Sydney and Baddeck will be open.
Northern Zone:
- Services and programs in the Northern Zone will largely operate business as usual tomorrow. Efforts are underway to restore normal operations, but some service reductions may continue.
- Blood collection in Pictou will be closed.
- Surgery cases at our regional hospitals will be assessed individually to determine whether they can proceed, and patients will be contacted directly.
- Some patients may be contacted in the case of cancellations or to offer a virtual alternative.
Central Zone: business as usual
Western Zone: business as usual
Visit www.nshealth.ca/temporaryclosures for the most up-to-date closures and service changes.
While the focus remains on emergency and urgent care in Eastern zone, staff are expected to report to work as scheduled and could be asked to support other services with care. Zone leaders will be assessing service levels throughout Tuesday and will provide an update.