The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) has issued a public notice about the health and social service levels in Yellowknife as the community recovers from the impact of the recent wildfire evacuation. The notice covers the period from Monday, Sept. 4th to Wednesday, Sept. 6th, 2023.
According to the notice, some services will remain closed or reduced during this time, while others will gradually resume normal operations.
As of Sept. 6th, medical Travel appointments scheduled for Edmonton, unknown commercial flight availability into or out of Yellowknife means residents who are currently evacuated and have a scheduled Medical Travel appointment outside of the NWT, prior to September 11th, should not return to Yellowknife.
Any outpatient specialist/prenatal appointments that need to travel to Yellowknife, are suspended.
“Any appointments that are not urgent have been cancelled until further notice. Individuals will be contacted regarding their cancelled appointment,” it reads. “Appointments will be rescheduled when services are stabilized. Urgent medical travel may be directed to other sites in the territory or Alberta.”
Emergency Department in Stanton Territorial Hospital will back to 80 per cent service levels. “However acute care inpatient services will be extremely limited,” it read.
According to the news release, it reads that by pass protocol for transfers into Yellowknife remains in effect, meaning patients that would be cared for in Yellowknife will instead travel to Alberta.
Surgical services and Inpatient surgical unit will still being reduced at 10 per cent and the unit will only be able to offer emergency surgical services. Most patients that have non-ICU level post-surgical care needs will be cared for within the 10-bed combined acute care bed capacity on the Medicine unit but some patients’ care needs may require transfer to another facility before or after their surgery.
All cases new patients requiring intensive care will be held in the Emergency Department until transfer.
Sobering Centres and Day Shelter will only running at 50 per cent capacity, as limited food meals and bathroom supplies.
For full chart from NTHSSA, click here.