Mission hospital emergency department closed overnight Sunday
A shortage of doctors means the ER will not take new patients from 5 p.m. Sunday until 8 a.m. Monday
Last updated 4 hours ago
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The emergency department at Mission Memorial Hospital will close overnight Sunday because of a lack of doctors.
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Fraser Health said the temporary service interruption will last from Sunday, Feb. 8, at 5 p.m. until Monday, Feb. 9, at 8 a.m. Anyone who’s already in the ER by 5 p.m. will be looked after before the physician finishes up at 11 p.m.
During the overnight closure, emergency-trained nurses will be on site to help walk-in patients needing basic care and to redirect those who need to go to emergency in a nearby hospital.
The last overnight closures in Mission were for over a week between Dec. 29 and Jan. 6.
Mission Memorial has been plagued by closures caused by doctor shortages, shutting at least three times in 2025 and four times in 2024.
Anyone with a life-threatening emergency like chest pain, difficulty breathing or severe bleeding should call 911, where operators will help direct patients to the appropriate hospital.
The emergency department is the only unit affected and all other ERs in the Fraser Health region will have doctors on site — but the closure could lead to longer wait times for patients with non-urgent health problems at other hospitals.
Fraser Health is encouraging people with less urgent health needs to consider non-emergency options like calling the Fraser Health crisis line 24/7 at 1-877-820-7444 or the virtual care number, 1-800-314-0999, to speak with a registered nurse between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week. Outside those hours, calling 811 will get a health service navigator or nurse.
“We recognize how important consistent access to emergency care is for the Mission community and we are actively working to address physician staffing gaps as they arise to maintain service continuity,” said Fraser Health in a statement.
Any future service interruptions will be announced in advance, the health authority promised.
