Six NB hospital emergency rooms to permanently close doors during overnight hours

The province has confirmed that six rural hospitals in New Brunswick will see their Emergency Departments permanently closed during the overnight hours.

In an announcement made this morning, it was confirmed that emergency rooms in Sussex, Sackville, Saint-Anne-de-Kent, Caraquet, Grand Falls, and Perth-Andover will be closed between 10pm & 8am — beginning March 11th.

The province claims those ERs, on average, only saw five patients per night. The savings will help cover the cost of hiring nurse practioners and improving other services – while all of the emergency room beds in the six affected hospitals, 120 in total, will be converted to long-term chronic-care beds.

The province says many were already being used for that purpose by older patients waiting for placements in long term care facilities.

More info: Government of New Brunswick